Part of Your World
by Charadrius
Summary: A commission for a dear friend. On her very first trip to the surface, Ariel encounters a world beyond her dreams. After rescuing what she presumes is a handsome prince, she longs to be human and secure her love for him. At the same time, the princess Nausicaa hopes to find the mysterious person who saved her from certain death. What then, when the two finally meet?
1. Chapter 1

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 1

_Denmark, Summer 1837_

The dense fog made visibility next to impossible as a young woman peered off the port side of the ship. The only thing available to her eye was the steel-blue waters below, the waves pounding at the sides of the ship. Gripping the gunwale with her hands, she excitingly stretched her neck for any peek at the ocean's surface. She'd be lucky if a man o' war floated by.

Stepping towards her with thick boots was the strongest swordsman in the land: a man of seemingly extreme stiffness and solemn, yet as kind and caring as one could be.

"Princess Nausicaa, do be careful. One good hit from a wave and you'll be headfirst in rough seawater." the man calmly stated, his cape fluttering behind him.

"Relax Lord Yupa! I'm just trying to find sea creatures." replied Nausicaa, turning to him with beaming eyes.

"I'm afraid visibility is next to impossible at the moment." explained Yupa, "we're barely getting by with our high beams. If you want to see fish, try chatting up with the fishermen."

Pouting, Nausicaa turned back towards the water. "We have plenty of crops at home. Why do we need to take from the sea?"

"Seafood is plentiful and healthy for you, Nausicaa. And besides, these waters are within our lands, are they not? They are a resource to us." Yupa chuckled, crossing his arms. It was typical of the Princess to have such a strong connection to animal life, even to the point where meat was a last resort for meals.

"Hmph, what lands? This is the sea, Lord Yupa! There isn't land for kilometers!" called one of the fishermen with a husky voice. Clambering up to the swordsman, the fisherman tapped his finger on his shoulder. "These waters belong to the merfolk!"

Yupa brushed the fisher's hand away, giving a light-hearted glare, "come now! You don't really mean that."

"Oh, I do!" The fisherman barked in reply.

"Merfolk? You mean creatures half human, half fish? I thought they were just an old myth based on sea cows?" Nausicaa chimed in, turning back towards her companions.

"They are just a myth. You hit the nail on the head with that, Nausicaa." Yupa responded.

"No! They're as real as rain! I've seen plenty of them! They're just crafty little devils, hiding under the waves as soon as your vision is clear enough to make them out!" The fisherman continued, gesturing wildly, "but they _are _real!"

"Let me get this straight: you've seen them, but they move too quick to really observe? How do you know they weren't something else? Dolphins perhaps?" Yupa humored, rolling his eyes.

"Let me finish! Hard to see, yes… but you can _hear _them crystal clear. Why, they sing like angels." The fisherman sighed, clasping his arms together.

"Wow… what a treat it would be to see one." Nausicaa said longingly, her eyes shining.

"Don't get your hopes up, Princess. There are more noble pursuits than chasing after mythical creatures." Yupa hushed, "now, no more of this nonsense. We should be heading back to shore within the half hour."

With that, he made his leave below the deck, while the fisherman continued to his post. Taking one last hopeful look out towards the foggy horizon, Nausicaa was beaming. The thought of seeing such a rare creature, so rare that it may not even exist, only made her more ecstatic.

As she craned to look further at the waves, the pitter-patter of tiny feet announced the arrival of her vallhund. The dog curiously sniffed at Nausicaa's pants, and batted his head softly to get her attention. She noticed the little friend at her feet, and gave a small scratch behind his ears.

"Oh Teto. Do you think we'll get to find one of these merfolk? Maybe we could even meet one? Ohh, imagine what kind of knowledge they could tell us?" Nausicaa spoke softly, sitting down to give more attention to her dog.

Teto simply yipped and rested his head on her leg.

Nausicaa smiled deeply, closing her eyes for a brief moment. "Imagine. What if we got to talk to a mermaid? I bet she would be wise, and strong, and… beautiful."

…

"Oh Ariel, I'm so excited for you! Just one more day and you'll finally be allowed to venture to the surface world!" Giddy with glee, Andrina, a blond mermaid, twirled around her youngest red-haired sister. "It's amazing! It's beautiful! It's-"

Ariel, presently perched at the washroom table, combing her flowing hair with a murex comb, nervously ducked her head. Andrina, never one to ignore even the slightest facial cue or tone change, stopped dancing and went to face her sister.

"Ariel? Are you feeling okay?" she asked, her voice changed to something more pacifying.

"... yeah… I'm sorry Andrina. I do feel very happy to have finally reached this point after 16 years. It's just… what if it isn't everything I've ever dreamed of?" Ariel turned to properly face her older sister, tears began to glass her eyes, "I've grown up listening to all of your stories, all of Daddy's stories… and I've tried to picture it all in my own head. But..."

Life in the Kingdom of Atlantica would look like an absolute paradise for many people. An enchanted world of undersea delights, inhabited by creatures of all kinds. Most notable of all were the merfolk, who were all majestic in their own right, seemingly never tainted by the slightest blemishes. They prided themselves in their appearances as well as their abilities, for they were wealthy in many talents: song, dance, sculpture, fashion. They made themselves as perfect as perfect could be, even to the point where others who couldn't match up were looked down upon.

However, for Ariel, the youngest of seven daughters - the princesses of Atlantica, incidentally - life always seemed next to miserable. Gifted with song, and seemingly nothing else, she was always outshined by her elder sisters. Her father, King Triton, never placed any one of his daughters on a pedestal, but Ariel was always felt that he was never proud of her, let alone fond. Whenever he did notice her, it was to scold and berate her for disobeying him or getting into danger. Palace life was always boring, so Ariel made her own adventures. She would swim into the deepest trenches, scale undersea volcanoes, and get into scraps with larger marine animals like sharks. Every time she barely made it out alive, often thanks to Triton's help.

"But… what if I end up being disappointed yet again?" Ariel continued, her lip twitching, "I feel so unhappy here, what makes me think getting to see the surface will be any different? I'll probably just end up needing to be saved from something, and Daddy will continue to think of me as an embarrassment."

"Ariel, no." Andrina hugged her sister tight, who was sobbing. "Listen to me." Andrina pulled Ariel away to look at her directly, "Daddy loves you. He's hard on you because he cares about your well-being. You're the baby of the family, after all."

Ariel sniffed, allowing Andrina to wipe away a tear. "Exactly. I'm just a baby."

"Ariel, you're a beautiful young woman. You forget why this ceremony is so important: it's a coming-of-age event! Daddy wouldn't go through with this if he didn't feel that you were ready to become an adult. He trusts you, Ariel, and he wants you to be happy. Please understand." Andrina smiled, squeezing Ariel's shoulders.

Looking at her sister, Ariel took a deep breath. "Yeah… yeah, you're right."

"We'll all be with you, Ariel. I promise. Tomorrow, when you return from your first free-rise, we'll be your first audience! And then you'll have your very own stories. You won't have to image the surface anymore. Now, doesn't that sound exciting?" Andrina pressed, playfully nudging her sister. With that, Ariel finally broke out in small giggles.

"It does, it really does." Ariel smiled.

"Well then, I'll let you continue here. Have a good night, sis. Love you!" Andrina ruffled Ariel's hair and swam out of the washroom. "Love you too." Ariel replied.

Ariel, letting her smile fall ever so slightly, turned to look at herself in the mirror. She examined her features for a while, eventually resting her elbows on the table and letting her chin sit upon her hands. Deep down, she was hoping that her trip to the surface would be more than a chance to prove herself to her father.

"If the surface turns out to be more than I dreamed," Ariel spoke to herself quietly, "the first chance I get, I'm going to find a new home. Somewhere away from judging eyes and false friends. My sisters will understand, I'm just surprised they haven't left this awful place themselves." Perhaps her Father's pull was strong on them? Ariel didn't really care. She never felt close to her father.

With one last look, Ariel shut off the light and swam off to her shell-bed. There she dreamed about the surface, filling her imagination with all sorts of wonderful things. Walking fish and merfolk who could fly. Krill as big as mountains and whales as small as bubbles. Whatever happened after tonight, the sights in her dreams could very well change forever.

…

Trumpets blared as crowds of merfolk gathered to see the royal procession ride in their chariots towards the edge of their kingdom. There the undersea mountains formed natural cliffs that were the perfect launching point towards the surface world. It was here that each of Ariel's sisters made their first voyages above the waves, and this was a particularly important day as Ariel would be the last of Triton's children to make the jump. King Triton was widowed, and he looked at his youngest child with a shine in his eyes.

"Happy birthday my little Ariel." Triton pressed his hand softly on Ariel's left shoulder. "I am the happiest father in the seven seas today. You're all grown up and ready to join your sisters in the honor of experiencing the surface world. It will be like nothing you have ever experienced before."

Ariel did her best to look happy and active, so she returned Triton's praise with a weak smile. "Thank you Daddy. I'm… looking forward to the opportunity."

Triton gave a proud smile at his daughter, and then turned towards the growing crowd below.

"Citizens of Atlantica, today my youngest daughter, Ariel, will take a rite of passage and set her eyes on the human world for the very first time!" Triton announced in his deep, booming voice. The crowd erupted in cheers as Ariel was guided towards the cliff by Triton's attaché Sebastian. The tiny crab was beaming with glee.

"Ahh, Ariel. What an honor dis is ta see you through dis experience!" Sebastian cooed, "You mus' be happy as a clam!"

Ariel grinned at Sebastian. "I sure am! Thank you for being here for me."

"Of course!" Sebastian replied, clasping his claws together. Ariel always appreciated the little crab; he was one of the few solaces in her life. If she ever left she would be saddened she couldn't take him along.

Taking care to guide her correctly, Sebastian stood by as Ariel sat on the cliff in anticipation for her signal to leave. She turned to gaze at her sisters, who were all waving and squealing with glee. Andrina in particular was overjoyed, and shot Ariel a heart by cupping her hands.

"On my signal, Ariel will be free to head to the surface! This is a solo-journey, so she is to have no supervision, as is the tradition. _Hopefully she will be safe and stay out of trouble_." Triton articulated that last part under his breath with a mix of fear and candidness.

With a wave of his trident, the instrument glowed with a passionate golden shine, and light-rays shot out the top like fireworks. Seeing the cue, Ariel took a big breath and bolted from the cliff. She swam higher and higher, encouraged by the cheers of the crowd, her sisters, and Sebastian. She didn't bother looking back, the only thing on her mind was the hope of freedom. Somewhere beyond the waters was a chance for something new that would save her from her hardships, she just knew it.

In a matter of minutes, the rays of the sun were visible through the tops of the sea above her. Ariel could feel their warm glow, as if they were urging her closer. Adrenaline pumping through her body, Ariel shut her eyes and bared her teeth, bracing for the impact of this 'air' that she had been told about many times. Her sisters mentioned that they could breathe it well, but it was much lighter than water and felt strange on their skins.

With one final flap of her tail, Ariel breached the surface.

She managed to open one eye before diving headfirst back into the ocean. All she saw was bright blue, lighter than the waters she was used to. But it went by in a flash. Recovering from her crash landing, she finally opened her eyes and gently floated to the surface, exposing herself up to her shoulders.

Her first thought popped out almost immediately. _This is different. _Ariel looked all around her, taking in that bright blue, which she realized was the "sky". In the sky was a much brighter circle of light, as vivid as Triton's trident. It hurt her eyes, so she shifted her focus. That must have been the "sun", which she knew was a source of life and energy for nearly all of the ocean, even if she never saw it before. The air immediately began to dry her skin and hair, and she felt the warmth of the sun give way to a much cooler feeling that pressed against her like a current. That was "wind".

The only sound Ariel could make out was the splashing of the waves and the howl of the wind all around her. This was a particularly breezy day, and the mermaid looked around her to see white and gray patches in the sky, the "clouds" of her sister's stories.

Already everything was a breath of fresh air, or water in Ariel's case. She gave a yawning breath as she laid back against the surface, letting her tail flap around in the water. Ariel outstretched her hands and smiled a genuine happy smile. "This is better than I could ever have imagined. I've never felt so… calm before." she finally spoke.

She rested like this for several minutes, before a new sound stung in her ears. A heavy, rumbling noise that approached ever so closely. Collecting herself, Ariel turned around to see a very large object sailing a good distance away. So far and yet so near. She decided to investigate this strange thing, and carefully swam towards it.

Stopping just close enough, Ariel popped her head out of the water as her ears were treated to a much more unique chorus of sound. She could make out people talking and laughing and cheering. She heard aberrant footsteps and clapping hands. Most of all, there was the all-to-familiar call of music. It was a melodious, shanty tune that she couldn't help but hum along to. This was all out of sight, hidden behind the hull of the "ship", the identification of which she had quickly realized.

Taking a good look around, Ariel decided to get even closer. She eyed the wooden architecture of the ship and began to climb via the grooves in the hull. Seeing an opening, she gently peeked her head through it and was treated to a magnificent sight.

All that foot-tapping, clapping, and cheering was the result of a large group of humans who appeared to be dancing to the music. This was the most bizarre dancing Ariel had ever seen, as the humans were performing acts that would stump even the most skilled merfolk performers. Of course, it helped that humans had legs and feet, which a mermaid like Ariel didn't have.

There appeared to be some sort of ceremony going on, perhaps a special occasion like Ariel herself was participating in, but she had no way of confirming that just yet.

And then, emerging from below deck, Ariel saw what she believed was the most beautiful person in the world.

_To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 2

He was all dressed up in a very luxurious outfit, donning a deep, navy blue frock coat and sand-colored trousers. His pointed shoes were black and they clanked as he exited the inside of the boat. Atop his head was a simple black sun hat that brought out his rich auburn hair. A little dog scurried not far behind.

Ariel had never seen so many humans before, and though she knew that they looked very similar to merfolk - sans their lower halves - this one in particular stuck out to her. Maybe it was the way he was smiling, or the way he carried himself like a prince, but the only thing Ariel could think of was herself in his arms.

_Wow_, she mouthed. At that moment, all Ariel could do was admire him from her hidden perch, because the sound of the music and cheering blocked out all other noises.

Of course, the "prince" was not all he seemed.

"Happy Birthday my dear." Lord Yupa beamed as he patted Nausicaa on her shoulder.

Smiling, she gave a small bow. "Thank you Lord Yupa. This has been quite a wonderful morning."

"Indeed. I see you're wearing your father's uniform for this special occasion." Yupa noted, cocking his mustache. "It suits you."

Blushing, Nausicaa briefly held on to the sleeves of her coat, feeling their fabric. "I wish he was still here."

"I do too." Yupa agreed, pulling the girl in for a hug. "He would be very proud of the progress you've made. Although…" Yupa added, ending the embrace, "I think he would have expected you to have at least considered settling down by now."

Rolling her eyes, Nausicaa took a seat by the gunwale, admiring the view of the ocean. Teto sat beside her. "It's not that I haven't considered it, it's just that it's not a major concern right now. You know me Lord Yupa… I'm not one to just jump into things."

"You mean like how you ran off on that adventure in the neighboring kingdom to find a lost city?" Yupa huffed a chuckle, crossing his arms in amusement.

"That's not what I mean!" Nausicaa exclaimed, annoyed. "I mean, I'm not content to just plan my whole life ahead. Things would get dull quickly… and then what happens when things don't go according to plan? I would be setting myself up for disappointment."

Yupa's eyes widened at her outburst, "That's a very impromptu philosophy." Taking care, he sat down beside her and placed a soft hand on her shoulder. "I hope you don't think I want to rush things for you, Nausicaa. I didn't become the greatest swordsman in the kingdom by planning when it would happen. I trained and practiced and paced myself, and I understand that this is the way you wish to maintain your wellbeing."

Nausicaa turned to Yupa, giving him a kind expression, "thank you Lord Yupa. I appreciate that you get it. And, well… maybe there's someone out there for me. I just have to wait until they make themselves known. And then… maybe there will be some 'spark' that will just… hit me. Like lightning!"

As if on cue, lightning flashed in the distance, accompanied by the low rumble of thunder.

Knocked out of her trance, Ariel shook her head and gazed up along with all of the passengers on board the ship. In all of the excitement for Nausicaa's birthday, no one noticed that the sky had quickly become gray and dark. More lightning flared and a pitter-patter of rain began to fall.

"Hurricane a'comin!" bellowed the lookout from atop the crow's nest. "Turn fast! Secure the rigging!"

Without skipping a beat, the entire crew erupted into action. Nausicaa, never one to sit back, joined the others without question. Gripping a handful of rope, she pulled as hard as she could and tightened them. The topsails fluttered in the strong wind as the rain intensified into a torrent, dulling everyone's line of sight. Teto jumped about, barking in alarm.

Ariel held on for dear life as the ship buckled and smashed against the rising waves. She was always safe from hurricanes by being so deep below the surface. To experience such a storm nearly made her rethink her benign opinions of the surface world.

An enormous rush of water spilled on the deck, knocking many of the crew onto the hard wooden floor. Barrels, cannons, and other objects were strewn about.

"We're not going to make it out of the storm! We need to lose the sails or we'll never speed away!" yelled the Captain, waving away some crew members from the rigging.

Nausicaa began to move with the others towards the mast, when the brilliant glow of lightning shot above them all. It struck one of the fore sails and ignited a massive fire! In panic, Ariel pushed herself off the hull, landing in the violent water with a hard splash. Taking care to maneuver around the boat so as not to lose it, she reemerged above the waves to gaze back at the raging inferno. She feared the worst.

As if their luck had run out, the large wooden ship was heading straight for a row of jagged rocks, reaching several hundred feet in the rainy air.

"What are we doing to do?!" screamed a crewmate, desperately hanging onto the rigging.

"Abandon ship!" replied the Captain, and very quickly everyone darted overboard. Yupa and Nausicaa had only managed to release several lifeboats before the bow smashed into the rocks, sending them into the sea as well.

The entire crew huffed and puffed above the waves, rushing to find anything secure to hold on to. Nausicaa managed to pull herself onto a lifeboat and grabbed anyone she could find to hoist them onboard.

"YUPA!" she called, her voice slightly hushed by the cracking of the fire and the rush of the wind. "Over here! I'm coming!" he replied, flailing his arms about as he swam towards the boat. With assistance from two others, Nausicaa managed to haul him to safety.

Just then, a frantic yipping could be heard from the burning ship. Nausicaa looked in horror as Teto was still on board, jumping about to dodge the flames.

"TETO!" she shrieked, and jumped back into the stormy waters without a single hesitation. All the crew could do was look on in extreme worry as Nausicaa quickly yet carefully scrambled up the broken hull of the ship after her friend. When she arrived back on board, surrounded by bright orange flames, she found that Teto was stuck high on the quarter deck. She navigated the burning wood till she got within a close distance of her dog. "Jump Teto! Come on boy! I'm here!"

Positing himself, Teto launched off the deck, right into Nausicaa's arms. Quickly checking for burns, Nausicaa squeezed him into a hug. Then, surveying the area, she retraced her steps and found a safe place to return to the waters. Little did she know, the fire had spread to below deck and was heading straight for the gun-power barrels.

Splintery wood broke from below her right foot as Nausicaa tripped on the deck, sending Teto over into the water accidentally. Grunting, she desperately tried to pull at her leg: she was stuck.

"Nausicaa!" Yupa called out as little Teto paddled to the safety of the boat. When no response came, the swordsman almost dove in after her.

The ship exploded in a cloud of violent hues as chunks of wood flew out in all directions. The crew gasped in sheer shock and fear, while Ariel grasped her head in alarm. Silently hoping that her prince was okay, she submerged and began investigating every sunken item in the hopes that he had clung for safety. It wasn't long before she found his tattered body steadily falling into the depths, eyes shut and breath escaping. Her eyes widened in alarm as she shook her head in despair. Ariel swam up to the prince and hoisted him upwards with both arms under his shoulders. He was surprisingly not heavy, weighing about her size, so she had little difficulty holding onto him.

With a heave, she breached the surface. Making sure not to slip, Ariel carried the prince away from the fireball of chaos and began to make her way to shore.

...

Hours had passed since the hurricane crossed the sea and the sky was slowly retaining its calmer colors, now covered with a blanket of soft gray clouds. Ariel had managed to drag the prince to the outskirts of what appeared to be a human settlement, with trees, bushes, and large structures resembling castles. "This looks like Atlantica… maybe this is a kingdom, his kingdom." Ariel silently spoke, taking care to remain out of sight behind a collection of large, algae-covered boulders. This was all still so new to her as she stayed close to the still body of the prince she rescued.

After a few more seconds of curious observation, she bent down and looked closely at the prince. He didn't appear to be conscious. Ariel placed her ear by his lips and took note that he was indeed breathing, albeit very sparsely.

"He's alive… thank goodness." Ariel sighed, admiring his features, "he's so… beautiful." She placed some of his red hair behind his ear, noticing an elongated, red earring.

Ever so serenely, the sun's rays broke through the cloud cover, filling the sky with rich golden light.

Nausicaa could feel a soft hand caressing her cheek and she began to come to. Opening her eyes, she could barely make out the face of a girl. She had ruby-rich hair and the most gorgeous eyes, and she was meer inches from her face. Before her vision could clear some more, the sound of rapid footsteps and shouts grew in the distance. In a flash, Ariel flinched and bolted back into the water with a splash. Nausicaa's eyes opened to the sound of frantic worry.

"Oh my goodness, are you alright?!"

"Wait a minute… you're the princess!"

"Princess Nausicaa! Oh good heavens, let me help you up dear."

She barely paid them any mind as she staggerly rose to her feet, guided by a collection of maidens who has stumbled across her on their usual early evening walk.

"Whaa… who?" Nausicaa stammered, but a searing pain stuck her temple and she nearly fell over again.

"Relax dear," one of the maidens responded, "we'll get you safe and sound back to your castle. I'm sure your fellows will be absolutely delighted to see you." And with that, she was escorted away from the seashore, where Ariel had suddenly re-emerged from behind a rock perch. When she saw the prince again, it was too late, as he disappeared from view with the small group of humans.

"At least he's safe," was all she said.

…

Ariel's family was in quite a shock when Ariel finally returned after her first journey to the surface. They didn't expect anything less, of course, given that Ariel was prone to adventuring for long hours. Her sisters welcomed her with open arms, laughing and celebrating her accomplishment. King Triton was equally happy, and with a relief he caressed his daughter into a hug. Hiding her reluctance, she returned the gesture. For the next hour and a half, over dinner, Ariel recounted her adventure, though without the poetic language her sisters had used. By her own choice, she neglected to mention the prince or his rescue from the flaming ship. Merfolk still had to be careful not to be seen by humans, and the last thing she needed was her father upset at her yet again. Still, she mentioned the hurricane and described its power, signaling that as the cause of her delay. Sebastian observed her storytelling with immense pride, as did her father.

Satisfied with her account - and glad to have a full belly - Ariel excused herself to her room so she could rest. Triton happily accepted, knowing full well that she had a very long day.

However, that night she did not sleep very much. She lay awake in her bed, tossing and turning and mulling over her thoughts about everything. That prince was stuck in her mind: his caring eyes, his wonderful fashion, his peaceful smile. Ariel was never one to go after partners, romantic or otherwise, and her attraction for other merfolk was at best still developing. She had kept to herself for most of her life, save for the occasional outing with Sebastian or her sisters. This time, things were different.

"What I wouldn't give to see him again. To truly know him. What stories he could tell." She uttered quietly, flicking her tail under the covers. She didn't realize the bright red that flushed her face as she thought of him.

No rustled to attempt sleep, Ariel threw herself out of bed and sneakily left her room, taking care not to disturb her sisters.

There was only one person who could comfort her now, and thankfully he was usually still up at this hour.

Gently knocking on the outer rim of a giant bonnet shell, Ariel waited as the tiny tapping of jointed limbs signaled the arrival of a slightly groggy crab.

"Ariel?" Sebastian spoke, "dear child, what are you doin' up so late?"

"I wanted to see you, to… talk. I hope that's alright?" Ariel replied, clasping her hands anxiously.

Sensing her tension, Sebastian simply smiled. "Of course dat's alright! You know dis ol' crab is always dere for you." Swimming from his shell-home, he took a seat atop some smooth corals, patting a nearby rock. "Come, what's on your mind, Ariel?"

Taking her seat, Ariel sighed and turned to him. "Sebastian… how long do humans live?"

He had to do a double-take at the random question. "Well… erm… dat's a good question. As far as I know, humans usually don' get much olda than… 50 years?"

Ariel's frown deepened. "Only 50 years?"

"Well… if dey are lucky." Sebastian added, shrugging.

"And merfolk can live to be 300 or more…" Ariel said, dejectedly.

"Why do ya ask, Ariel? I mean… I'm sure ya curious about da surface world. What wiff your first journey dere." Sebastian asked.

It was now or never. At least Ariel could trust Sebastian with anything.

"I may not have told everyone, everything about my trip." Ariel began.

"Ahh, I see. You can tell me any'ting, you know dat." Sebastian responded, giving her a reassuring pat with his claw. "Go ahead an tell me every'ting."

"Before the hurricane, I saw a great ship… I mentioned that… but what I didn't tell was that I actually got very close to the humans on board. They were dancing and cheering and having a wonderful time. And then… I saw a prince." Ariel's blush returned. "He was like nothing I had ever seen. More lovely than anyone I'd ever seen. And… I want to be with him."

Sebastian chuckled, shaking his head. "Dear child. Is dat why you asked about human life? I'm sure you unda'stan why you two couldn't be togetha."

"Yes… I know now." Ariel began to tear up, and she pressed her hands to her head in dismay. Seeing her state, Sebastian swam up to her and wrapped a claw around her shoulder.

"Aww, Ariel." Sebastian comforted, "I'm sorry. Dis mus be so hard fo you."

"It is Sebastian!" Ariel sniffed, "Daddy says that merfolk vanish from the sea when they die… we turn into seafoam and that's it. But humans… he said that they probably have a soul of some sort… and they get to live forever, even after their death…"

"Dis is true… as far as I know." Sebastian returned, rubbing Ariel's back to sooth her sobbing.

"I wish… I wish I was human."

Sebastian stopped and gave her a puzzled yet understanding look. "Ariel… we are what we are, even if we don' wan' to be. I mean… look at me! I'm more of a shrimp dan a crab! What I wouldn' give to be bigga. But, dis is the way tings are."

Ariel didn't respond, giving her friend a depressed look as she continued to cry.

They stayed together for another hour before Sebastian brought her home, before anyone suspected a thing.

_To be continued._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 3

The following few days went as normal, or at least as normal as Ariel could make them. She didn't bother to visit the surface world since her encounter with the storm and the prince, but the thought kept nagging in the back of her mind. Ariel had so desperately wanted to be human, but seeing the impossibility, she attempted to ignore it. But with each passing day, the thought ached more and more, until finally, after a week, she couldn't take it anymore.

There was a rumor… or at least a suggestion… that Ursula the sea witch still resided far from the kingdom, near the great ocean ridges of the north. She had the gift of magic, to be able to bend the laws of nature to do what she pleased. At least, she did before King Triton banished her for sowing chaos in the seas. Ursula had no ulterior motives, life was just more fun that way.

If anyone could help Ariel, it was Ursula.

Taking leave late one night, Ariel swam towards the ocean ridges, using a map she had found from her father's study. The warm waters of her home land gradually became the cooler and harsher waters of the north. If she followed the map precisely, she should find Ursula with no trouble.

Indeed, as the document suggested, a large undersea cave loomed before her. Its stalagmites and stalactites loomed like horrific fangs, and a slight mist of greenish-orange fog permeated from the inside.

Shivering, Ariel gulped. She was fully prepared to see Ursula, but the sight of it all began to intimidate her slightly.

She thought about turning back, but a soothing voice beckoned out of the darkness.

"Oh my, is that a visitor I hear? Come in, come in my child!"

Despite the sweetness of the greeting, Ariel did not let her guard down. That _had _to be Ursula. Who else would reside in such a dismal place?

With a small flick of her fin, Ariel entered the chilling abode.

Soon the darkness was replaced by a slight hint of green and purple light that radiated from a collection of translucent shells. That ever present mist stemmed from a small rock-cauldron at the center of the room. Slinking her tentacles from a hollow inside the cave, Ursula slowly crawled out to meet the little mermaid.

"Well, well well… if it isn't Triton's youngest daughter?" Ursula cooed, placing two fingers under her chin.

"Hello... I'm Ariel. I've heard a lot about you." she replied, holding her hands together in shyness and fear.

"And I've seen much about you." Ursula said, chucking as she swam around Ariel, "my magic allows me to see all the happenings of the seven seas. And, I dare say, it looks like you're here for a very specific purpose."

Ariel's frown weakened into a surprised expression, "why, yes. That's correct. I understand you have the power to help me. That you can use magic to change nature."

Ursula grinned, using a suckered-arm to pat Ariel on the back, causing the girl to tense slightly. "My dear sweet child. That's what I do! It's what I live for! People don't seem to understand that change is the foundation of nature! I just like to put my own little… spin… on things." She cackled.

Getting serious, Ursula sat down by the cauldron, ushering Ariel to join her. Reluctantly, Ariel floated down, opposite the sea witch. Using a hand, Ursula waved the fog away.

"Now then, let me guess… you're here because this life of yours under the sea has not pleased you over the years. On your very first day in the surface world, you saw a paradise of freedom and opportunity. And… you saw beauty in the eyes of a human… not just any human, a prince! Does that sound about right?" Ursula asked, raising her eyebrows.

Ariel had to do a double-take; it seemed like Ursula had an omniscience that transcended any creature in the sea. "That's correct… very correct actually. I… I want to be human, so I can be with him and away from this place." Ariel sighed, looking sullen.

Ursula couldn't help but sympathize. "Well, angel fish, _that_… I can do."

Ariel practically leaped for joy. "Really?! Oh thank yo-"

"Up-bup-bup… settle down now, child. Everything… has a price." Ursula shushed her quickly.

Letting herself sink again, Ariel looked upon Ursula with wide curiosity. She definitely had her attention. "I don't really have-"

"Now now, there's no money involved. Just listen very carefully." Ursula began, using an arm to pull down a bottle from a rocky shelf. "This potion will usher in a spell that will transform your fins into legs, thereby giving you the essential ingredient for moving on land. You will be able to see your prince, _but_, you will never be able to live in the ocean, much less have a life with your family."

Ariel's demeanor changed to one of solemn.

"Your legs will be a blessing and a curse, for the spell will not make their appearance a pleasant one. Your lower half will be basically split in two, and every step you take will be like a step on broken glass. This is a test of endurance and of will. If you truly want to be human, you will have to endure this pain."

Ariel shook her head, trying hard not to cry already.

"In exchange for this pair of legs… what I want from you is, your voice." Ursula added, that last part chillingly slow.

"My voice?" Ariel repeated, placing a hand to her throat.

"Yes. It's no secret that you are the most gifted singer of your family. I'd even argue of all the merfolk. What _I _wouldn't give to have a voice like that, to be able to sing to my heart's content!" Ursula beamed.

"But without my voice? How can I-" Ariel began, before Ursulla raised a hand to her. "This is another test, child! It's all too easy to say 'I love you' and be done with it! True love, the kind that you seek, is often best expressed in silence. A simple look… a delicate touch… a smile on the face… Now, here's the deal. You will have three months - remember that, three - to find your prince, court him, and show him that you wish to be with him. If you can do that before the three months are up, not only will you have legs (legs without pain, I add) and your beautiful voice, but you'll have a human soul as well. That way, you will be with your prince… forever. Does that sound about right?"

"I understand completely." Ariel nodded.

"Good. Because this next part is crucial. My magic can only do so much benevolence. If you do not succeed in these three months, all will be lost. You will never be a human… or a mermaid. At the stroke of midnight on the beginning of the fourth month, your form will revert back into the ocean itself, as seafoam. It's basically a premature death. I hope that's motivation enough for you."

Ariel mulled it over for a little while. This was indeed a big decision: a big decision for a big wish. It wasn't long before she recognized the value of the opportunity here. Maybe it was her being optimistic, but she felt that she could easily reach her goal well within that time. She had seen stories of love among the merfolk, and they went through much more difficult trials than this. At the end of the day, Ariel thought, this was better than staying in Atlantica, miserable for hundreds of years.

"I accept the terms." That was all Ariel said, as Ursula grinned with delight, handing her the potion.

"Drink this whenever you're ready, the spell will kick in immediately afterward. I… I would be near land when you do. Don't want you drowning or anything." Ursula cackled, twirling in her cave. "Wouldn't that be ironic?!"

Handling the bottle with care, Ariel bowed her head and smiled. "Thank you, Ursula."

"No child… _thank you_." Ursula grinned.

…

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Sebastian bellowed in anger, bringing his claws to his face with anguish.

"Sebastian, shhhh!" Ariel whispered, trying to settle him down. She hadn't even had time to go into the nitty-gritty details of her visit before her crab friend exploded.

"Don' ya tell me ta shush! How could ya do dis, Ariel?!" he continued, "dat Ursula is a demon! A monsta! Ya can't trust ha!"

"She was hardly a monster… more quirky than anything." Ariel stated, "and she was the only one who could help me! What was I supposed to do?"

"NOTING! She was banished for a reason! Ohh Ariel, what would ya fatha say?! He'd say he'd kill himself a crab, dats what he'd say!" Sebastian vented, "Here's what we gon do… we gon march right back to dat sea witch, give ha back dat poison, and bring ya back home to be wit all da normal fish and merfolk, so you can just be…"

He stopped when he saw Ariel's face. She just looked so broken. Very quickly he remembered her visit to his home last week and the anguish she expressed to him. Something sparked in his heart, and he simply sighed and shook his head.

"How long will dat poison work?" he finally asked, much quieter than before.

"Three months." Ariel responded.

"An' you'll be turned into a human? Wit legs an everyting?" Sebastian added.

"Yes. But I won't be able to speak. I would have to let the prince fall in love with me through actions alone. I don't really see any big deal with that." Ariel explained, rubbing the bottle in her hands.

Taking a moment to breath, Sebastian tapped his leg anxiously. "Jeez… dis is gonna be da highlight of ma year. Okay… if ya feel dat this is da best ting for you, den I support ya."

Ariel, smiling, picked up Sebastian and gave him a tiny peck on his cheek.

"BUT!" he spoke up, poking his claw at her chin, "I'm gonna be wit ya de entia time! Dere's no way I'm leavin ya alone up dere! I don know what I'd do wit myself if ya got inta trouble."

"Deal." Ariel giggled, "I was going to ask that you'd come anyway. I'm sure Daddy won't miss you. We'll just tell them that we're going on an extended visit to your family, and to sight-see. Goodness knows he's used to me wandering off on adventures, at least with you he won't be all over my case."

"Hmm." Sebastian said, "dat I tink will work." As all for it as he sounded, he dreaded everything.

…

Resting on the balcony of the castle's marble patio was Nausicaa, enjoying the breeze and watching the seabirds sailing through the winds. Teto was right beside her, nuzzled down for a nap.

A week had passed since the shipwreck, and all she could think about was the mysterious woman who rescued her. Brilliant red hair, rich blue eyes, and the most beautiful voice, and that was all she had to go by. The maidens who tended to her on the seashore didn't match any of those descriptions at all. She had just… vanished into nothing. It was driving her crazy.

Looking down as her canine friend, Nausicaa exhaled frustratedly. "Oh Tito… who could she be? I owe that woman my life. I just… I need to see her again, but I haven't the slightest idea how."

"Princess!" called a young voice from the palace doors. Nausicaa looked back to see a trio of little girls, no older than seven, running up to her with bright expressions.

"Hello, dears." Nausicaa answered, giving them a warm smile.

"Princess, we heard what happened last week!" one wearing a blue bonnet called. Another, dressed in a pink gown, jumped up and down. "You survived a shipwreck! That exploded!" The third one, sporting tiny teal boots, was holding a lumpy-looking bag. "How did you do it?"

"Well… to be honest, I'm not sure." By now Nausicaa had turned to face the group of children, seeing them at eye level. "All I remember is waking up on the seashore, where a beautiful woman was looking right at me. And then… she was gone. She must have saved my life, but I don't know who she is or where she came from."

"Wow!" The pink-dressed girl spoke, "maybe she's an angel?!"

"Or a kind witch!?" The blue bonnet girl suggested.

"Or a mermaid!?" The third girl added, clutching the bag carefully.

"All good guesses… I wish I knew the answer. Say, what do you have there?" Nausicaa asked, pointing to the bag.

The girl with the teal boots did a double take, remembering quickly, "Oh! Yeah! We thought you might be hungry, so we gathered these chiko nuts for you."

"Oh my! And so many of them!" Nausicaa took the back, happily smiling at the darling children, "thank you so much. I'll eat them with care."

It wouldn't be very long before Nausicaa took Teto on his evening walk by the seashore, little knowing that her plans for the night were about to be interrupted.

_To be continued. _


	4. Chapter 4

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 4

"Come on boy! Let's go!" Nausicaa cheerfully called after her canine friend. Teto bounded over and bounced around excitedly as the princess secured his leash. It was the start of the evening, just the right time for slightly cooler temperatures and a lovely orange and purple sky.

Stepping out into the main foyer was another woman. She was older than Nausicaa, her shortened hair the same rich auburn like the princess, but she sported a notable prosthetic on her left arm. Draped in a luxurious teal dress with a long skirt, she was Queen Kushana.

"Dear sister… do be careful this time. It is not befitting a princess to get lost at sea multiple times in one month." She spoke clearly and eloquently.

Rolling her eyes, Nausicaa turned to her older sister. "Kushana, I'm just going by the shore today. I'll be fine!"

"I honestly don't see why the palace gardens aren't more than enough for Teto. There's always something to keep him busy… and always someone to make sure you're not getting into trouble." Kushana noted, crossing her arms.

"The shore is his favorite place. And, besides, I can watch out for myself." Nausicaa countered, pouting.

Kushana approached Nausicaa, resting her arm on her shoulder. "I worry because I care," she said gently, "if you're going to be the future queen, you have to set a better example for your people. What would they think if I just waltzed about, willy-nilly, to every potentially dangerous situation, risking life and limb for something or another? They want to be able to sleep at night knowing that they'll have their leader in one piece. Do you hear what I'm saying?"

Nausicaa sighed, "yes, Kushana. I understand. But I go on my adventures for a reason. Life is too short to be spent cooped up in a castle! There's always something new to see and learn! And I can tell my people enjoy hearing my tales of far-away places and daring escapes. It gives them happiness. You'd understand if you ever bothered to come along with me."

With a crooked smile, Kushana flicked her prosthetic arm, the metal giving a klink. "Once is more than enough."

At that, she turned and walked towards her quarters. "Do be back for dinner. Our chefs are preparing a delightful meal and you're going to want to be there for it."

"I will." Nausicaa smiled, before heading out the castle door.

…

"Okay. Dis is da place?" Sebastian asked. He and Ariel were not far from the castle, hidden in the shallows of the shoreline behind a wall of rock. "Yes!" she replied, "I think this is a safe enough area. When I get my legs I'll be within reach of the prince or anyone he's associated with. And I can practice using my legs a bit too."

"Very well," Sebastian replied anxiously, "jost make it quick! Befa anyone sees you!"

Ariel caressed the potion carefully in one hand while she popped off the lid with the other. She peeked inside, seeing the magical liquid bubble curiously.

Sighing, Ariel looked to her crustacean friend. He gave her a smile. "Okay Sebastian, it's now or never. Here goes!" Throwing her head back, she chugged the potion in one go. It tasted foul, to which Ariel recoiled with a sneer. Before she could process anything, the mermaid found that her head was suddenly very sore. Baring her teeth, Ariel's placed her hands on her temples.

"Ariel? Are ya okay?" Sebastian panicked, "what's wrong?!"

Within seconds, she collapsed into the water, falling just carefully enough to where her face was exposed to the air. Her body glowed brilliantly for a brief moment, causing Sebastian to shield his eyes with his claws. Then, all was still.

Gazing up after a few seconds, Sebastian looked over to Ariel timidly.

"Ariel?" he asked softly. She was still laying there, eyes closed but otherwise silent.

Then, slowly but surely, she raised herself up, eyes opening at a snail's pace. Wincing, she placed a hand to her head, giving a grimace with her mouth. Finally sitting up, Ariel found that though the pain had gone away, something still felt off. She tried to swish her tail, but instead she felt a strange stiffness.

It was then that she remembered the potion. Calmly, Ariel lifted what appeared to be a right leg. Her right leg. She eyed it up and down, and gave a little wiggle to her toes. Yep, this was real.

"Whoa… Ariel… ya… ya got legs!" Sebastian exclaimed, flabbergasted. "Da potion… da spell… it worked! Oh goodness me, look at ya! Wit human legs!" He was practically jumping in the water. "How do ya feel?!"

Ariel turned to him, attempting to speak, but found that nothing came out of her mouth.

"Oh… oh yah… I forgot 'bout dat." Sebastian frowned. "But… it's only temporary, right?"

Ariel shook her head, smiling.

"Okay. We just gotta find dat prince. Go on… stand up, child! Let's see what ya got!" Sebastian cheered, ushering her with his claws.

Taking care, Ariel placed her two feet flat on the shallow seabed, then raised herself off the ground. As she felt her weight being placed on her legs, a severely sharp pain radiated through them, causing Ariel to collapse into the water. She clutched her legs and started crying profusely.

"Ey! What is it? What's wrong?" Sebastian yelled, rushing over to her to get at eye level with her face. Through tear-soaked eyes, Ariel pointed to her legs and made a clawing motion with her hands. Seeing the crab's confusion, Ariel found the disposed potion-bottle and pointed to it.

"Ahh no… dere's always a catch to dez magic spells." Sebastian bit his lip.

Along the seashore, Nausicaa was continuing to walk Teto, who was so busy sniffing and poking around the rocks and sand.

"If you find anything cool, let me know." Nausicaa giggled. "I'm always looking for natural treasures."

Teto barked in reply, before continuing his sniffing. A particular scent caught his nose, and he quickly went after it, pulling Nausicaa along in desperation. "Whoa whoa! Easy boy! No pulling! You know that!" she called after him with a surprise in her voice. "Must have found something truly special."

The dog led her into the shallows, behind some rocks. Seeing the small, furry animal, Ariel and Sebastian reacted with alarm. He scuttled into Ariel's hair as the former mermaid tried to climb up the rocks to escape, her eyes wild with fear. She had forgotten the pain in her legs only temporarily, for after several attempts to scale the steep slope, she crumpled to the ground in anguish.

Teto went right to work sniffing and barking at Ariel. Nausicaa rounded the corner, her boots splashing in the waves, and she quickly took note of the cowering, nearly-nude girl before her.

"Oh my goodness. Teto, stop it!" Nausicaa screamed, yanking him away. She ran up to the girl, making sure to give her space. Ariel was lying down in a fetal position, caressing her legs in an attempt to numb the pain.

"Hey… are you alright?" Nausicaa asked, bending down slightly. Ariel looked up to see the girl, eyes flooded with tears. Seeing the look on this human girl's face allowed Ariel to calm down. Her only response was a simple frown.

"Are you lost?" Nausicaa continued, now that she had the girl's attention.

Ariel didn't know what to do. She didn't intend to meet someone this quickly, and not the prince she was looking for either. Nausicaa, on the other hand, found her curiosity piqued.

"You look… very familiar, somehow. Why do I have the feeling we've met before?" Nausicaa pondered, scratching her chin.

Ariel was now sitting up. Rubbing her eyes, she gave Nausicaa an equally curious look.

"Wait a minute… your hair… wait, I think I recognize you! You must be the one who rescued me! From the burning ship! You look so much like her!" Nausicaa was cheering, her hands clasped with joy. "I'm Nausicaa. Princess of the Kingdom of the Wind. What's your name?"

Her mind slipping, Ariel opened her mouth to speak, but once again, silence was all that was emitted. She wished to clarify things, she had never seen this girl before, but all Ariel could do was pat her throat, signaling to Nausicaa of her situation.

"Oh… you can't speak?" Nausicaa asked dejectedly, "hmm… forgive me my previous outburst. I've been looking for someone. She spoke to me, so… it obviously can't be you." She stood there for a few seconds, her mind lost in thought, before turning again to Ariel.

"We have many mute people in my kingdom. Can you sign?" Nausicaa motioned in sign language as she spoke. Ariel had never heard of this form of communication before, so she shook her head.

"Well, that's okay. I can teach you if-" Nausicaa stopped when she noticed a large stain of red had begun to emanate from Ariel's legs. Several cuts had begun to form all along her calves and feet, the saltwater stinging wildly, and it took everything for Ariel not to begin sobbing again.

"Oh dear!" Nausicaa got down on Ariel's level, examining her legs. "You must have really been through something. Can you walk?"

Ariel attempted to get up again. "No Ariel!" Sebastian whispered in her ear, "don't stress yaself out." Blood poured from Ariel's legs and the sharp pain resumed with fury. She toppled over at Nausicaa's feet.

With slight anxiety at the sight of the blood, Nausicaa pulled off her jacket and wrapped it around Ariel's midsection, then she hoisted herself up, cradling Ariel in her arms.

Ariel looked up at Nausicaa, her tender face slowly causing the pain to filter out of her mind.

"I'll take you to my kingdom. You'll be safe there, and I can help you feel better. It's a shame that you've been wronged this way. I promise I'll do whatever I can. Okay?" Nausicaa spoke gently.

All Ariel did was wrap her arms around Nausicaa to gain a better hold. As she closed her eyes, she felt safe already.

…

"And she cannot speak?" asked Lord Yupa, brows pointed down with concern.

Nausicaa had brought Ariel inside the castle as quickly as she could. Entering, she called for a medical kit, alerting the attention of Queen Kushana and Yupa. Teto had, by now, run off to another part of the house. Upon seeing the shivering girl with the wounded legs, the two nearly doubled over with fear. Nausicaa explained that she found her at the seashore in this condition, earning looks of understanding.

"Yes. She doesn't recognize sign language either. I don't know if her muteness is a recent condition or not, but her legs were badly hurt. That should be our main concern right now." Nausicaa replied, keeping her hold on Ariel firm.

"I'm used to you rescuing wild animals, but girls are another thing entirely." Kushana said, perhaps too humorously. "Were there any others nearby?"

"No, it was just her." Nausicaa frowned, "who knows what happened?"

"Inquiries for another time, perhaps." Yupa intervened, waving a hand away. "All that matters is that you found her before anything else could happen."

"Indeed." Kushana added, before a servant arrived with a medical kit.

"Thank you. Take it to my room, I'll continue from here." Nausicaa spoke, allowing the servant up the stairs.

"Now Nausicaa… I think you should leave this to professionals. Princesses aren't supposed to be tending to the sick and injured." Kushana advised, her smile turning into a slight frown.

"I want to help her." Nausicaa replied quickly, an edge to her voice.

"And you have. Now we can send her to the hospital and you can continue with your duties." Kushana continued, herself growing irritated.

"She is my duty now! She trusts me and wants my care, and I can help her!" Nausicaa exclaimed, holding Ariel closer.

"Nausicaa, this isn't up for debate." Kushana countered, taking a few steps towards the princess. Yupa dared not intervene, even though he wanted to.

"I promised her I would help! Please understand!" Nausicaa was practically yelling now.

"Don't raise your voice at me! Act like a princess, for once!" Kushana stomped her foot, the echo bringing silence to the entire room. It didn't take long before she noticed that Ariel was crying into Nausicaa's shoulder, who herself was on the verge as well.

Giving a tough sigh, Kushana closed her eyes. "Fine. Do what you wish. I'm not in the mood for this shit. Dinner is in one hour. Be there." And she left the room without another word.

Yupa, surveying everything, finally stepped in. "Nausicaa…" he whispered to her, "I admire your passion. If you need anything-"

"Thank you, Lord Yupa. I'll see you at dinner." Before he could continue, she hurried up the stairs to her room.

Yupa looked up after her with a dejected expression.

Unknown to everyone, Sebastian had fallen out of Ariel's hair by mistake. The poor crab was left to scuttle about the room. Teto took notice of him and began wagging his tail.

"Ah no… nice… land fish ting." Sebastian took two steps back. Teto was soon on him, and he took off like lightning. "Ariel!" he called, but no one could hear him.

…

A few candles were all that illuminated Nausicaa's room. There was a still silence that filled the area. Nausicaa had taken Ariel and placed her gently on a soft futon. Helping her out of her jacket, Nausicaa brought Ariel some proper undergarments, taking her clam-shell bra and placing it on a table.

Ariel laid back on the futon, her face reading blank. She sadly observed her new human legs: she was grateful that the spell worked and that she had them, but at the moment they were a tremendous burden. From her thighs to her toes, cuts dotted her limbs, and a numbing, dull pain remained ever present.

Nausicaa had pulled open the medical kit and began dabbing some soap and water into a sponge. "I would like to clean your wounds, if that is okay? It will slow the bleeding," she asked softly, giving Ariel a reassuring look.

Ariel turned to her slowly, nodding her head.

Taking note, Nausicaa walked over and sat beside Ariel. She gently lifted one leg, and saw Ariel wince. "I apologize, but this might hurt a bit." Nausicaa slowly worked the sponge up and down her right leg, soaking up much of the blood. Ariel scratched at the futon with every dab. She knew this was supposed to help but she didn't like the feeling at all.

"I'm really sorry." Nausicaa piped up after a while. Ariel noticed a single tear had fallen from the girl's eye as she worked. "That woman you saw was my sister, Queen Kushana. She can be really tough sometimes, even though she cares. I hope she didn't frighten you too much."

As Nausicaa talked softly, Ariel watched her with condoling eyes.

"Sometimes she scares me too." Nausicaa added, continuing to wash Ariel's leg as the cuts slowly stopped bleeding.

Ariel bent over slightly and cupped a hand to Nausicaa's cheek. The girl looked up to Ariel, seeing her expression of pity.

"I don't suppose you have family that scares you too?" Nausicaa asked, giving a small smile.

Ariel knew all too well that feeling. Removing her hand, she nodded her head, bringing back Nausicaa's frown.

"I'm sorry, that's so sad," was all Nausicaa said as she finished cleaning the wounds. She reached back for the medical kit, pulling out some aqua green-colored bandages. "Well… let's not dwell on that now. These are special bandages I invented for the people in my kingdom. They contain a special pain-relieving mix that I made from plants in the garden. They should help numb the pain, at least."

Ariel watched as Nausicaa unwound the roll, a warm smile slowly rising in her. After everything that has happened today, she felt very comfortable for once. All her anxieties went away as Nausicaa began applying the bandages, beginning with her thigh. With great delight, the pain had begun to dull. It was still there, but now it was more like bruising than broken glass.

"How are you feeling?" Nausicaa asked as she made her way down to the knee. Ariel beamed, causing the princess to blush. "Oh, good. That makes me happy." She said, beaming back.

Over the next few minutes, Nausicaa gently wrapped the bandages all over Ariel's legs, taking care not to put them too tight. She finished the last of the roll on Ariel's left foot, and gave her big toe a little poke. "There, good to go!" Nausicaa said, bringing joy to Ariel's demeanor. Ariel giggled silently, observing her now green legs, which gave off the curious appearance of her old tail.

"Can you try taking a step?" Nausicaa asked, getting up to put the medical kit away.

Ariel became very nervous. Noticing this, Nausicaa ran over to her. "I'll be right there with you. Take my hand."

Upon grasping Nausicaa's soft palm, Ariel felt a rush go through her. Gradually, she rose up and took on step with her left foot. There was still pain, but it wasn't enough to make her cripple over.

"Oh wow! You're doing great! Look, you're walking!" Nausicaa cheered, staying close to Ariel. The two walked around the room a few times before Nausicaa led Ariel to her bed to take a seat.

"Dinner should be ready soon, and you'll have a nice warm meal to help you heal. In the meantime, let me find you a dress!" Nausicaa rushed over to her enormous dresser and began to look through the selections.

Ariel finally took everything in. The room was very large, much bigger than hers in Atlantica. The walls were nearly covered with what looked like plants and animals from the surface world, either drawings or specimens. They all looked to intriguing. Nausicaa's bed was a king-size and was covered with the softest blankets. Besides the dresser, there was a small table with a lamp bedside her bed, and a good-sized desk full of books, papers, and potted plants. It was all so cozy.

She wasn't the prince she was looking for, but Ariel liked Nausicaa. She was full of kindness and she genuinely cared about Ariel. Plus, she was a princess: that meant she must know all the royalty in the land. She would be of enormous help to finding the prince, and thankfully Ariel's three months had only just begun. There was time to spare.

_To be continued._


	5. Chapter 5

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 5

"Wahh! Get away from me!" Sebastian yelled frantically as Teto chased him through the castle. The little vallhund barked after him: he wasn't being malicious but just wanted to play. Of course, Sebastian didn't know that.

Sebastian managed to outmaneuver the dog by jumping behind a small display of knight armor. Teto sniffed around, whined, and walked away in defeat.

"Phew,'' Sebastian said in relief, wiping his brow with a claw, "I'm glad my horror show is ovah."

He tip-toed out from the armor and looked around the room. "Ariel?" he called, hoping for any sign of her. Just then he heard some rustling behind a pair of great wooden doors. Maybe she was in there…

Sebastian managed to squeeze into the room, not seeing a red-haired girl but three older gentlemen working with… something… in the kitchen.

"Gikkuri! Squeeze me some lemons would ya?" called one of the men, Gol, heavy-set and with a very large mustache.

"I thought you wanted me to slice them first?" replied another, thinner and with a pointed chin, but sporting the same great facial hair.

"You're supposed to slice half of the lemons and squeeze the others, come on man!" Gol bellowed, waving an arm in annoyance.

"Right, okay!" Gikkuri went straight to dividing the lemons.

Gol looked over to see the third man, mid-way in size between Gol and Gikkuri but with sunken eyes (and a big mustache as well), playing with some shrimp like toy soldiers. "Niga!" he scolded.

As if knowing without asking, Niga put down the shrimp and continued to cut off the shells. "I know! I know!"

Sebastian, trying very hard to be quiet and invisible, scuttled up one of the table legs and hid behind some pots and pans. The smell emanating from the area seemed off to him, but upon closer examination did he realize just what was going on here. And it didn't help when a severed shrimp's head landed right in front of him. It took nearly all his strength not to throw up right there.

"Ahh… how I love cooking fish!" Gol beamed, lifting up a whole cod and admiring its girth. "I dare say this feast will be the highlight of my career."

"You say that about every seafood meal." Gikkuri commented, setting the pan of now-gathered lemon juice to the side.

"And I stand by it! Now would you kindly hand me that knife over there?" Gol gestured towards the table where Niga was preparing the shrimp. Gikkuri walked over, chuckling, as he reached for a rather intimidating chef's knife. In an unfortunate twist of luck, Sebastian was hiding nearby and was immediately exposed when the knife was lifted.

"Whoa!" Gikkuri commented, "hey I think you missed one Niga!"

Niga looked over from his work and spotted Sebastian, who was lying as still as possible with his head poked into this shell. "Huh… how about that?" he responded, "I don't remember this from the fisherman's net."

"Look, it doesn't matter! This food needs to be ready in 30 minutes!" Gol yelled, checking his boiling pots. "If you're done playing catch-up with the crustacean, just get it ready to cook would ya?"

"So testy." Niga commented, before reaching for the crab. Sebastian bolted before he could grab him.

"Hey! After him!" Gikkuri said swiftly, the two old man pushing away items on the table that Sebastian was attempted to hide behind.

"You nincompoops are supposed to kill the seafood before you prepare it! Nausicaa's orders!" Gol explained, finally giving his full attention to his two companions.

"He's a quick one!" Niga said, finally managing to get a grip on Sebastian's legs. The crab wasted no time pinching the old man's fingers. "Yeaow! And a fighter too!" Niga dropped Sebastian and blew on his aching hand.

"Do I have to do everything myself?! Give me that!" Gol swiped the chef's knife from Gikkuri and began beating at the table after Sebastian, just missing him every time. The table was becoming quite a mess with food and cooking supplies falling everywhere.

Poor Sebastian was panting at this point. "Jeez mon, dez humans are insane!" he yelled to himself, dodging another snip from the giant knife. Taking a quick look around, Sebastian eyed an island and leaped over to it. Surrounded by chopped up fish, he did all he could to ignore them without fainting.

"He's gonna contaminate the tilapia!" Gikkuri exclaimed, running over to the island and taking hold of a wooden mallet. With one fell swoop, he slammed it down on the table. Gikkuri missed Sebastian but sent the tilapia flying onto the floor.

"Not before you do first, you fool!" Gol yelled, grabbing the sides of his head with anguish over his ruined meal. Niga was too busy cracking up.

Sebastian hopped off the island and went scurrying towards a very large shelf full of cookbooks, serving dishes, and other items.

"Don't let him get away!" Gol commanded. "Yes, yes, I'm on it!" Niga responded, chasing after Sebastian with Gol in tow. Gikkuri found a chef's torch and followed not far behind.

Niga slipped on some fish juice and fell to the floor, his leg sweeping Sebastian upwards towards an open bubbling pot. He saved himself by grabbing onto the very warm rim of the bowl, hot water radiating above him. A small spray sent Sebastian up into the air yet again.

"I got him! I got him!" Gol followed Sebastian through the air with his hands just out of reach, but he missed as he tripped over Niga, still getting up off the floor. The two slid on the ground all the way towards the giant shelf, just barely missing it.

"That would have been bad." Gol commented, not noticing Gikkuri running after the falling crab, straight towards them with the torch sporting a healthy flame.

…

Meanwhile, up in Nausicaa's room, the princess had selected an outfit for Ariel. Knowing that her healing guest should be comfortable, she picked out a light purple nightgown with short sleeves and flower etchings on the skirt. Nausicaa took care to help Ariel put it on, for it seemed that she had difficulty figuring out how sleeves worked.

The two sat together on the enormous bed while Nausicaa taught Ariel a few simple phrases in sign language: "hello", "goodbye", "thank you", and so forth.

"Okay, now sign that back to me." Nausicaa said softly, watching with expectant eyes as Ariel perfected the sign for "I would like that, please".

Giggling, Nausicaa clapped her hands with delight. "Yes! That's good! You're a quick learner."

Ariel blushed at her caretaker's cheer.

Then, a thought occurred to Nausicaa. "You know…" she said, pointing a finger at her chin in contemplation, "it would be really good to know your name, but I'd have to teach you the entire alphabet first, and that could take a while."

Ariel frowned, taking a look around the room for anything that could help. Then she saw something she recognized: a pen and a stack of paper on the desk. A wide grin broke across her face, as Ariel nudged Nausicaa and repeatedly signed to her.

Taking note, Nausicaa looked towards the desk that Ariel was gesturing towards.

"Oh? Oh! Of course! Can you write?" Nausicaa asked delightedly, to which Ariel bobbed her head up and down, still grinning.

"Okay then." Nausicaa hopped off the bed and reached for the pen and some of the paper, also grabbing a thick book as a writing surface. She gently placed the items down and gave Ariel the pen. Without notice, she scribbled down her name in beautiful cursive.

Nausicaa paused and looked to the paper, Ariel turning it around to she could see.

"Ariel… wow, that's really pretty." Nausicaa commented, looking up at her guest.

The two locked eyes for what seemed like half a minute, before Nausicaa turned away, rubbing her neck.

"Um…" she paused, "tell me… where did you come from?"

_I… wow that's a loaded question_,Ariel thought, mentally scratching her head. She _could _have told Nausicaa that she was a mermaid from a hidden undersea kingdom who was placed under a spell to turn her human, but that might raise more questions than answers. Besides, home was the last thing she wanted to think about. She figured she had to play it safe for this stranger-turned-friend.

Ariel took another sheet of paper and began writing out a short and reasonable explanation, but just as she was finishing, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Nausicaa called out, and entering the room was an old woman with a cane.

"Nausicaa dear, dinner will be ready soon. Time to come downstairs." announced the woman sweetly.

"Thank you! Hey, Obaba, have you met Ariel?" Nausicaa jumped off the bed and led the woman towards the other girl. Ariel looked curiously as the woman didn't seem to notice her at all: she looked to be perpetually staring off into space.

"Ariel, hold out your hand, please." Nausicaa asked, taking Obaba's hand in hers and guiding it towards Ariel. "Ariel, this is Obaba, she's our most trusted maid." Nausicaa introduced.

The two hands linked and Obaba gave a little smile. "Ohh, I can tell you're a girl with nothing but love to give. So spirited." Ariel's face twinkled.

"I rescued her from the beach. She was all alone and badly injured, so I vowed to protect her." Nausicaa explained, giving Ariel a sympathetic look.

"Is that so? You poor thing. Well, you're in good hands here." Obaba assured, patting Ariel's hand before taking off towards the door. "Now, let's eat! I'm starving. I hope the boys are almost done in the kitchen."

…

Obaba, Nausicaa, and Ariel entered the dining room together, with the two younger girls keeping pace with the older woman. Already seated was Queen Kushana, Lord Yupa, and Mito, an uncle of Nausicaa's. Teto was sitting by the window, chowing down on a plate of his own.

"Well, well, well," said Yupa, clasping his arms together, "don't you look lovely. You must be happy being able to walk about now, aren't you?"

Ariel, beaming, signed "yes, thank you" to the man, causing both him and Kushana to do a double take.

"You're welcome." Yupa replied back, smiling.

"I see you've taught her some sign already." Kushana commented.

"Not a lot, just the basics for now." Nausicaa said, not really looking at her sister but to everyone in general. "She wrote her name for me… so now I can officially introduce you all to, Ariel."

"Wonderful!" Yupa cheered.

"It's a pleasure, ma'am!" Mito greeted, giving a wink with his good eye.

"Well good, I'd like to get to know Ariel a bit more, since she's staying indefinitely." Kushana responded, that last part a bit more spiteful than she was intending.

Nausicaa pulled a seat for Ariel, right next to her.

"Goodness, where's the food? They're a lot later than they usually are." Mito commented, giving the table a pat. "A man needs his sustenance!"

As if on cue, Gol, Gikkuri, and Niga threw themselves into the room. Their bodies were covered with that looked like a combination of juice, soot, and crumbs. They all had expressions of mocked happiness as they carried several metal trays.

"Dinner is served! Our special today: seafood banquet!" Gol announced, giving a small bow.

"What the hell happened to you three?" Kushana asked, giving a cocked eyebrow.

"Erm… we were just so concerned that the meal wasn't adequate enough." Gikkuri replied, giving a small bow.

"Yeah!" Niga added, "we're artists you know."

"You three are chefs… whether the food you serve is fit for a museum isn't part of your job description." Kushana explained matter-of-factly. "Show yourselves some dignity, please."

"Eh, yes your highness." Gol bowed, ushering the other two to begin placing the dishes on the table. The spread was served and everyone wasted no time digging in.

Ariel watched as Obaba lifted the lid to one of the dishes, revealing a tray of peeled shrimp. Little Sebastian was blending in to the food when he caught sight of Ariel. She looked over to him with surprise, gesturing for him to crawl over to her place while everyone was concerned with their portions. He managed to bound over just before Nausicaa turned to her.

"I hope everything is okay. Do you eat seafood?" she asked quietly, her voice tinted with concern.

Ariel signed "sometimes", turning her mouth crooked.

"Well, there's plenty of grains and greens here, don't you worry." Nausicaa nodded, turning to her salad.

"Psst! Ariel!" Sebastian called a little bit too loudly, "get me offa dis plate!"

Ariel quickly stuffed Sebastian into her shirt, himself uttering a little "oof!"

Kushana turned to Ariel after biting from a baguette loaf. "So, Ariel, how are you liking the castle? Is this a far cry from what you're used to, or are you royalty yourself?" she said rather kindly.

All Ariel could give was "it's nice", since she struggled with how to put the second question into the words she knew. She frowned at this.

The queen looked at her curiously, "hmm… forgive me my intrusion, it's just that I keep correspondence with all the neighboring kingdoms and I don't recall hearing of you from any of them. Visiting from afar, perhaps?"

Before Ariel could continue, Nausicaa stepped in. "She's able to write down her thoughts… how about I ask her myself and then let you know?"

Kushana glared at her sister before continuing to eat her food.

…

The rest of the meal went on very smoothly. Yupa and Mito asked very simple questions to Ariel, while Kushana kept mostly quiet. By the end, most everyone was enjoying themselves and the room filled with laughter, even Ariel with her silent giggles.

As the later hours approached, Nausicaa led Ariel to the guest bedroom. Ariel was going a bit slower than usual.

"Hey, how are your legs doing?" Nausicaa asked, bending down to check her bandage work.

Ariel looked at Nausicaa and signed "I'm okay", but she couldn't help but rub her thighs and calves to relieve some of the day's stress.

"You do look tired.. .you've had a substantial day after all. Here, I'll help you into bed."

Nausicaa picked Ariel up and cradled her in her arms, just like she did when she found her on the seashore. She managed to open the door, walk to the bed, and place Ariel onto the new sheets carefully and sweetly.

"There we go." Nausicaa cooed, tucking Ariel in. "How's that?"

Ariel blushed at her, smiling as she signed "good."

"I'm glad." Nausicaa said, and she was blushing herself. "Well then… get some rest. I'll be by to check on you in the morning, and then we can continue getting to know each other. Does that sound good?"

"Yes" Ariel signed, resting her head on the pillow.

"Cool… good night, Ariel." Nausicaa smiled, walking out of the room and shutting the door quietly behind her.

Ariel felt the warmth and softness of the sheets and instantly fell in love with the sensation. Speaking of sensation, Ariel felt a little tickle on her side, and that's when she remembered her friend.

She reached down and pulled Sebastian from her nightgown, setting him on the table beside her bed and giving him a little pat. The crab sputtered and fumed.

"Dis has got ta be, wittout a doubt, da single-most humiliating day of my life!" he vented, his claws shaking in the air. "I hope ya appreciate what I go through fa you, young lady!"

Ariel was fast asleep before Sebastian finished his complaining. The crab simply looked to her and gave a genial sigh.

"But I do so love ta see ya happy, I dare say dis is da happiest I've seen ya!" Sebastian spoke softly. "Dis girl is quite da catch, I will admit. Even wit dat nasty furry ting of hers. I just hope she doesn't have any more of dem."

_To be continued..._


	6. Chapter 6

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 6

Tensions and concerns were very high in the Kingdom of Atlantica. While King Triton knew that Ariel and Sebastian went off on a trip to see Sebastian's family, usually his eccentric parents would be sending copious letters back to him by now. They would be listing all the going-ons of their stay, down to the most mundane details. And yet… nothing.

Triton paced back and forth in his throne room, hands behind his back and expression anxious.

A small seahorse darted into the room, huffing and puffing at the exercion, before giving the usual bow.

Triton looked to the little fish with hope. "Oh good! You're back! Please tell me you have good news."

"I'm afraid not Sire… it's… it's troubling." the seahorse whimpered.

"Well, out with it! Please!" Triton boomed, though not unkindly.

Shaking, the seahorse gulped, "Your Majesty… Ariel is not with Sebastian's family. They haven't seen her or their son in months."

Triton's brow furrowed and a deep frown grew on his face. Taking his head in his hand, he fell into his throne. "Oh my goodness…. I… thank you, you are relieved."

"I'm terribly sorry Sire… would you like me to send out a search party?" whispered the seahorse.

"No no… thank you. We'll come to that in time. That is all." Triton waved his hand, his face still in shock.

"Yes, your Majesty." And off the seahorse went.

As Triton sat there, fearful and confused, his daughters Attina and Andrina (the oldest and youngest respectively) entered the throne room, their demeanors not unlike their father's.

"Daddy," Attina spoke, "is it as we feared?"

"Are Ariel and Sebastian truly missing, like you suspected?" Andrina added.

Triton sighed, "I'm afraid so, girls. Ariel, I'm used to, but this is so unlike Sebastian. He never lies to me. I just don't know what on Earth could have happened." He covered his face with both hands this time, groaning with sorrow.

Attina and Andrina both swam up to their father, consoling him and rubbing his shoulders. Andrina looked away for a moment, remembering Ariel's deep confessions about her feelings. Wherever Ariel was, she thought, she probably didn't think twice about her home and family. That only saddened her more.

…

It had been a few days since Ariel's first time in the palace. Nausicaa had kept her up on her sign-language studies and now the two could communicate much easier, even though any conversations they had were still basic. And Ariel continued to write out her summarized autobiography for Nausicaa, giving her just enough information to be satisfied.

According to Ariel: she hailed from a kingdom far beyond the sea: called Pacifica. The daughter of the king's attaché, Ariel was well versed in the ways of royalty, so much so that the king and queen of their land thought of her as their own daughter. However, they were very strict 'parents', often reprimanding Ariel for stepping out of line Her biological father, named Sebastian, was the only one who really cared about her, as well as the king and queen's six daughters who viewed her as an equal companion. Though she was mute, Ariel was gifted with beauty and the king and queen took advantage of that whenever they could, parading her around the kingdom as an example of the ideal citizen. This troubled her so, and Ariel often had a sad existence. The only reason that she ended up on the shore, nude and injured, was because she was being punished for another adventurous exercise. Ariel was to stay grounded on a fisherman's vessel, doing tough labor, but a storm blew through and destroyed the ship. Splinters and sharp rocks ripped up her legs and knocked her unconscious. So, here she was today.

Nausicaa took everything in with deep emotion, and by the end she was in tears. Ariel didn't feel comfortable lying to her in this way, but it was for her own safety. Still, she couldn't help but be surprised by her companion's reaction. No one, not even Sebastian, had ever reacted to her in such a way… so genuinely.

"I'm so so sorry… that is horrible what happened to you." Nausicaa finally spoke, her voice tinted with grief, "I cannot imagine what you've gone through. I only hope that I can help you feel welcome and comfortable here, where no one will ever hurt you like they did."

Ariel smiled a soft smile, signing "thank you for your kindness".

"Of course, you're welcome. I mean it." Nausicaa replied, taking Ariel's hands in hers. "How are your legs feeling today?"

Ariel looked down at her feet, as she was holding her knees between her arms, and they seemed fairly normal, if not a little sore. So she signed "they feel okay."

Nausicaa perked up, "do you think you can walk far today?"

Ariel's mouth twitched slightly, her eyes deep in thought, before she shrugged her shoulders, signing "I think so."

"Great!" Nausicaa got up, gently pulling Ariel off the bed by her hands. "I've been meaning to give you a proper tour of the palace. Since you've gotten plenty of rest already, you must be dying to do something for once."

Ariel shook her head giddily. It would feel nice to further explore this strange surface world and also answer some of the questions she had since her youth.

Sebastian took notice and quickly scurried towards Ariel, pinching her dress and hiding discreetly from view.

The two left the guest bedroom, hand in hand, and passed by the many knights and tapestries on display. Nausicaa noticed Ariel's curious eyes and gave brief descriptions of these exotic items, which only heightened her interest. Down the hallway scurried Teto, happily barking and wagging his tail with delight. Nausicaa took notice, with Ariel's original intimidation of the vallhund having since gave way to delight. In the few days at the palace, Nausicaa formerly introduced Ariel to Teto and he allowed her to pet his tummy. Ariel found it very therapeutic and repeatedly signed "he's so cute".

"Hey buddy, you being a good boy today?" Nausicaa asked, bending down to give a little pet behind his ears. Ariel gave him attention too, scratching his behind with a smile.

Sebastian peeked from underneath Ariel's dress, taking note of the dog once again. "Ahh no," he groaned quietly, "not dis ting again."

Teto seemed to recognize the crab too, and immediately hopped up under Ariel, biting at the ruffles on her dress. Sebastian took everything not to fall from the dress, but Ariel's stumbling nearly shook him off.

"Teto! We talked about this!" Nausicaa exclaimed, trying to pry the dog away.

Having enough, Sebastian waited for Teto's muzzle to get close enough and raised his right claw...

"YELP!" Teto jumped in pain, running out from under Ariel, carrying Sebastian along with him down the hall. Nausicaa and Ariel looked after him with curiosity.

…

Having reached one of the palace's balconies, Teto stopped and shook his head violently, desperate to get Sebastian off. With one final good swing, the crab was sent flying down below.

"Yahhhhh!" he yelled, waving his claws to try to reduce his speed. Thankfully, he managed to land on a tree branch, getting caught in the soft, green leaves.

"Phew! Dat was close!" Sebastian said, "Serves him right! She needs ta teach dat ting some manners."

Just then, he felt himself slipping underneath the leaves. "Uh oh," he whimpered, and without hesitation he fell from the tree, landing on a patch of soft dirt below. He groggily sat up, brushing off the dust with his claws. Looking around, he took note of the landscape he was in: it looked like a big hole in the ground, with various grasses and shrubs placed about.

Sebastian turned to see the dark entrance to a cave, where a pair of yellow eyes glared at him.

"Life's not fair… is it?" called a dark voice, seemingly from that same pair of eyes.

"I beg ya pardon?" Sebastian called back, raising an eyebrow. "Who's dere?"

"One minute you're safe and sound in your watery world… and the next, you're down on the solid earth… in a strange place… with unfamiliar faces."

Emerging from the cave was a very lanky lion, his dark mane flowing behind him. He very calmly skulked around Sebastian, who tried very hard to make himself bigger.

"Wat do ya know about dat? Ya look like you neva left dis hole of yers." Sebastian countered, crossing his arms.

"Quite the contrary: I've been to many places," quipped the lion, giving a crooked smile. "I am the most recent of the… gifts… to the princess Nausicaa."

"Gifts?" Sebastian repeated curiously, "wait… Nausicaa? Dat's da girl my Ariel's been wit! Why would anyone give ya to her?"

"She's a dedicated nature lover, everyone knows that. Flowers, trees, insects, mammals… even witless crabs as yourself, she reveres and respects." The lion plopped to the ground, kicking up dust everywhere, which caused Sebastian to cough. While distracted, the lion reached for the crab and held him in his massive paws. "So how fitting would it be if some goo-goo-eyed prince who had the hots for the princess tried to woo her with a regal lion as myself?"

"Jeez… dat… sounds like an odd idea." Sebastian struggled to say in the lion's grip.

"She said no, of course. Not fond of princes I guess…" the lion smirked. "So tell me… this… Ariel… did she think to win the princess' heart with a measly crustacean like you?"

The lion gave a small squeeze, causing Sebastian's eyes to bulge out. "For ya infamation..." he struggled to say, "I am Ariel's confidant, assisting her on this journey to the surface world and…" At that Sebastian shut his mouth, but it was too late.

"Surface world? Do tell." The lion's eyes widened with curiosity.

"Dats not what I meant." Sebastian piped.

"I have the sneaking suspicion that Ariel is not an ordinary human. You're hiding something, and I'm prepared to pick you apart until you tell me." The lion dangled Sebastian in the air by his smallest leg, causing the crab to swing to-and-fro. "No, please!" he cried.

With perfect timing, Nausicaa and Ariel peered over into the enclosure. The lion looked up at the two people, giving Sebastian just enough time to snag a pinch at the lion's toe. An aggravated roar erupted from the big cat as he flung the crab back into the tree, this time on a secure branch.

"Oof, he's a little grumpy today it seems." Nausicaa commented, watching as the lion crawled back into the cave, fuming. He gave one last look in their direction, paying close attention to Ariel.

"That crab of yours is a real pain, mermaid." was all he said, and to Ariel's surprise she could understand him.

"Ariel!" Sebastian called from the tree, waving his claw. She turned to him quietly, and placed her index finger to her lips, where she mouthed "stay close and out of trouble." She returned her full attention to Nausicaa as the princess turned back to her.

"He's a gift from a prince… I forget his name. They all start to blur together after a while." Nausicaa chuckled, shaking her head, "all of the animals in the royal menagerie come from different parts of the world. Most are diplomatic gifts to my sister Kushana, others are ones I've rescued on my travels, and a couple are from princes who wish to court me."

Ariel looked to Nausicaa, giving a sign of "you mean, boys who like you?"

Giggling, Nausicaa sighed, "yes indeed. I'm not really interested in that sort of stuff though. Kushana wants me to form diplomatic relations with other kingdoms, and Lord Yupa hopes that I at least consider settling down."

The two continued to walk amongst the enclosures, where nearly every animal expressed immediate interest in Ariel. A black panther and a sloth bear whispered to each other between a fence: "she is not human." "You're right… there's magic within her."

"But the world is so big and beautiful." Nausicaa continued, "I don't want to be content to stay in one place when there is so much I still want to see and explore! I'm sure you understand."

Ariel signed, smiling, "of course, I love adventure."

"Right! I'd much rather be out in nature than on some date. Princes get dull quickly, but wild animals? That's a true passion of mine." Nausicaa and Ariel stopped at a large, wire aviary, where four vultures were perched on a hefty branch.

Ariel took everything not to cringe with fear: of all the creatures she learned about from her family's stories, birds always seemed like trouble. She was hesitant to see one, let alone four.

Nausicaa took note. "Don't be afraid," she said, resting a hand on Ariel's shoulder, "they're harmless and beautiful animals. You can see it in their eyes."

The princess walked up to the edge of the cage and made a few kissy-noises with her lips. All the vultures took note, and soon their attention was all on Ariel.

"Eh… take a look at this one," a vulture spoke, his head moving in a swiveling motion to get a better look.

Another peered closer, "aye… would you look at that! A mermaid who's been turned into a human! I've heard rumors about that sort of thing."

"You can see it in her persona… she's definitely a creature of the sea," a third chimed in, ruffling his feathers.

Ariel gave all of them a glare and a pout: seems even the animals of the surface world were as quirky and nosy as the ones in the ocean.

"I think she can hear us," uttered the fourth vulture.

"You'd be right." signed Ariel, causing all the vultures to duck away, embarrassed.

Nausicaa gave her an odd look. "That's sweet, but animals don't know sign." She took her hand and led her on, "come on! I want to show you the botanical garden."

So the two went off, with little Sebastian scurrying behind them as quickly as he could.

Peering over his little enclosure was a fawn, who gave his full attention to the vultures. He called out, "bird!"

"Ey, now don't start that again!" exclaimed one of the vultured angrily.

…

Another day had passed and Queen Kushana was still struggling with the question of Ariel. She urged Nausicaa to give her information on the mysterious girl, but the princess only gave her sparse information with a snarky and dismissive attitude. This frustrated Kushana to no end. Nausicaa clearly cared deeply about Ariel and was keeping her life a secret to protect her privacy, but Kushana was the highest authority in the kingdom and she never liked it when details were kept from her.

She sat upon her throne, body outstretched so that her legs were dangling off the arm rest while the Queen rested back. It was a rather unprofessional position, but then again Kushana always looked like this when she was upset.

There was a firm knock on the doors to the throne room and Kushana ushered the visitor in a sigh and a firm "enter".

Opening the doors was a man of very high class, with blue robes and thin plates of armor protecting his arms, chest, and legs. His face carried a small mustache and well-groomed beard, bordering a slanted smile.

"Your Majesty… I'm humbled by the invite." called the man, who gave a weak bow.

"Please, don't flatter me with pageantry, Kurotawa. You know why you're here." Kushana said bluntly, flicking a hand his way.

"Hmmm… do I?" Kurotawa quipped, "Let me see… you need answers and some fool is being difficult." He tapped at his sheathed sword, "you want me to make sure they fall into line?"

Kushana rolled her eyes, "first of all… that 'fool' is my younger sister… I would prefer it if you didn't wave your sword at her."

"Fair enough, my apologies." Kurotawa bowed, "please, elucidate."

Kushana bared her teeth, frustrated with the man. "Less than a week ago, Nausicaa rescued a young woman from our shores. Injured and mute, she has been at my sister's side ever since. Of the information she managed to retrieve from her, it seems this… Ariel… belongs to a royal family from a distant kingdom called Pacifica."

Kurotawa raised an eyebrow, "how interesting. I don't recall that location from our global surveys"

"Indeed… so I'm sure you understand that I'm being lied to." Kushana sat up now, stern as ever.

"By Nausicaa? But she's never been one to-" Kurotawa began, only to be cut off by a wave of Kushana's hand.

"Don't just assume it's Nausicaa!" Kushana defended angrily, "I have a sneaking suspicion this Ariel is not who she says she is. I dare say she's probably not even mute! Whatever she's planning, she has my sister attached to her hip and will likely rope her into whatever scheme she is playing."

"And what exactly do you think she's planning?" Kurotawa asked.

Kushana smacked her head with her open hand, baring her teeth, "I don't know! That's why I called you here!" Settling down, the Queen collected her thoughts. "Just… keep a close eye on her. See if you can get any information at all about her… ask around. Interrogate. Spy on her. I don't care! The point is, something is going on here and I don't like it. Do I make myself clear?"

Kurotawa bowed, resisting the urge to chuckle at the Queen's frantic behavior, "yes, your Majesty."

Kushana pressed her hands together delicately. "If there is any hint that she is working for an unknown organization, or an anarchist guild, or even if she is a petty thief wishing to rob our kingdom blind… I will not hesitate to wipe her pretty grin off the face of the earth."

_To be continued..._


	7. Chapter 7

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 7

It had been two weeks since Nausicaa's tour of the palace grounds. Ariel had become quite accustomed to life there and the entire staff just fell in love with her. She had been far exceeding her education in sign-language and could now really keep up long conversations with anyone. Ariel watched Lord Yupa train students in swordfighting, observed Gikkuri, Gol, and Niga in the kitchen, helped Obaba with small chores, and spent time with Nausicaa. Quite a lot of time with her, in fact, for Ariel became Nausicaa's favorite companion who was nearly always with her.

"She has a strong spirit, I can tell." Yupa said wisely, giving Nausicaa a warm look. Ariel had fallen asleep on the couch while the three of them were chatting that morning, resting her head on Nausicaa's lap. He continued, "I think she's more than capable of exploring outside the palace walls, especially since her legs have been healing nicely. Perhaps she would like to see more of the kingdom? You know… I do think the Summer Festival started in town a few days ago."

"Oh my goodness you're right!" Nausicaa beamed. "I had almost forgotten! I think that's a lovely idea. She would be thrilled to go."

Looking down at Ariel, Nausicaa patted her long, red hair gently. "Ariel told me about her past." Nausicaa explained, "I don't think she's ever really enjoyed herself before. She would always leave home to go on secret adventures because she was sad and lonely in her kingdom."

"Yes, you did tell that to me." Yupa replied, scratching his mustache. "It's a shame. Ariel has been nothing but kind-hearted while she's been here, despite all of that."

"It makes me wonder how much pain she has bottled up inside her." Nausicaa frowned, not having looked up from Ariel's resting face during the entire conversation.

Yupa observed this with a curious eye. "You've been a very gracious guest, Princess. There can be no doubt that you've given her so much peace and security, and I bet she's truly grateful to you."

"I can see it in the way she signs to me." Nausicaa agreed. "You're right, Lord Yupa, I think she would be overjoyed to go on an adventure into town. And, on top of that, I can continue my search for the mystery girl."

Yupa paused, as if trying to find the right words to say, but was stopped when Ariel suddenly stretched her body and breathed happily, having woken up from her nap. She looked up at Nausicaa with her big eyes and grinned at her. Nausicaa returned the gesture, "Hey there… have a good nap?"

Ariel nodded, nuzzling into Nausicaa's nap.

"How would you like to go into town today? There's a festival going on, and we can do whatever we want! Does that sound fun?" Nausicaa explained, to which Ariel nearly leaped off the couch in excitement. Bobbing her head up and down, Ariel repeatedly signed "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Okay, okay!" Nausicaa laughed, "let's get dressed and we'll go."

Watching the two girls wander off to their rooms, Yupa sighed and placed a hand to his cheek. "Come to think of it," he spoke to himself softly, "I feel like Nausicaa's pretty grateful to Ariel too."

…

It wasn't long before Nausicaa and Ariel were both dressed for the occasion. Since it wasn't a formal event, Nausicaa felt that some more casual attire would be appropriate, especially if they wanted to be comfortable.

Nausicaa donned her usual short, blue dress and sand-colored pants. Putting on her tan boots, she watched Ariel emerge into her room wearing a black-and-blue dress (that perfectly covered her bandaged legs) and a big, blue bow atop her head.

Ariel twirled around, letting her dress flow elegantly. Nausicaa couldn't help but blush.

"Wow… you look so lovely," she said, rubbing the back of her head.

Ariel smiled, blushing too, and signed to her, "you look beautiful, too."

"Thank you." Nausicaa replied, picking up her satchel. "I like dresses, but I just feel better wearing clothes that allow a little more… eh, leg room." She shrugged, putting the bag over her shoulder. "I don't know, I just feel more like myself like this. Does that make sense?"

It wasn't like Ariel dressed herself up in clothes all that much under the sea, so she couldn't really relate. Even after weeks of wearing them, she still felt herself chafe with them on. So she simply signed, "yes".

Heading downstairs, the two waved a pleasant goodbye to Yupa and Obaba, who greeted them at the door. Sebastian was never far behind, having hidden once again in Ariel's dress. Teto eyed him, but stayed put, not wanting any trouble.

Waiting for them was a horse and carriage. Nausicaa climbed up and gave Ariel a hand, pulling her gently up and setting her on the seat next to her. Pulling the reins, Nausicaa headed for the gates just as two guards opened them for her. They wished her well, with one sending her a "safe travels, Princess!"

Queen Kushana looked on from her room high in the castle. Glaring, she closed the blinds and turned to Kurotawa, who was polishing his sword.

"Nausicaa and Ariel are leaving the castle! What are you doing just sitting there? Go after them so you can keep watch!" she exclaimed, hands to her hips.

"My dear…" Kurotawa began, before Kushana gave him a violent stare.

"Excuse me… your majesty," he continued, "they look like they're going into town for the Summer Festival. I was actually thinking about going myself a little later. Those sweet buns are to die for."

"Well, great news, you're going right now!" With a shove, Kushana pushed Kurotawa out the doors and on his way to the festivities.

…

The town itself turned out to be just as spectacular as the castle. Ariel watched with awe as they approached the main entrance to the town square. Colorful ribbons and decorations adorned the spire-topped buildings and windmills. Music illuminated the area with song as crowds of people engaged in all manner of activities, their hands often full with shopping bags, balloons, or delicious treats.

Ariel couldn't keep her head in one place as she looked at every nook and cranny of the town from the carriage. Everything seemed to make her joy grow bigger and bigger: by the time Nausicaa stopped the horse at a nearby stable, Ariel's eyes and mouth were open so wide as she jumped in place.

Her enthusiasm was certainly contagious, as Nausicaa laughed with delight. "You're just so ready to go aren't you?" She asked playfully, resting a hand on Ariel's shoulder. Ariel turned to her and grinned, signing "This is more than I could have ever dreamed and more!"

Right as Nausicaa started adjusting her satchel, Ariel grabbed her hand and pulled her into the town square, nearly causing her to trip.

There was so much to do that she couldn't decide where to go first. Realizing her stomach was nearly empty, having had a small breakfast, she turned to the food stands. The smells of the pretzel bread, cinnamon buns, chocolate-covered fruits, and apple cider practically grabbed Ariel by the nose and dragged her over.

As Nausicaa paid for a selection of foods, Kurotawa slinked into the festival grounds, having spotted the girls.

"Oh my… buying snacks… how nefarious." He chuckled, rolling his eyes.

Nausicaa handed Ariel some items and the two sat down at a nearby bench by the water. While the desserts at the castle were exceptional, Ariel had never seen food like this before. It looked much too big for any one person to eat. And yet she did, helping herself to some peppermint bark and sweet buns. Each bite was delectable.

Remembering Sebastian, Ariel snuck a piece of bread and handed it to him. Resting inside her sleeve, he grabbed it and eyed it carefully. "Ehh… dis is not really food fer a crab". He reluctantly took a bite and his expression changed immediately to one of delight. "But it darn well should be!"

Kurotawa approached one of the food stands and purchased a nice, juicy turkey leg and some ale. Then, making sure to keep a friendly demeanor, walked up to Nausicaa and Ariel's table.

"Good morning girls! Princess Nausicaa… Ariel." He greeted, bowing with respect. "I see we're enjoying our time at the festival, no?"

"Oh… hey Kurotawa." Nausicaa replied, deadpanned. She didn't really like him.

"Who are you?" Ariel signed, cocking her head to the side.

"Oh, forgive me my manners Ariel, I don't believe we've been formally introduced." Kurotawa acknowledged, placing the turkey leg comically to his chest. "My name is Kurotawa. I am Queen Kushana's first-in-command. Sort of like a knight I suppose: I am called whenever I am needed."

"Did my sister send you to check up on us?" Nausicaa groaned, slamming her drink to the table. "Why does she think she can do these things to me, like she doesn't trust me?!"

Kurotawa waved his hands in alarm, shaking his head. "Oh good heavens no! I'm here on my own free will! I love myself a good festival, in case you couldn't tell." He pointed to the turkey leg and alcohol, giving a thumbs up afterwards.

Ariel silently chuckled at this, which caused Nausicaa to settle down. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me," she said quickly, embarrassed to look at him.

"No worries, I get it. Queen Kushana can be a royal pain… please don't tell her I said that." Kurotawa replied sheepishly.

Nausicaa motioned a hand over her lips, as if to zip them.

"You're the best." Kurotawa commended, grinning. "Well then… don't let me keep you both. Goodbye. Adios. Au revoir and all that." With that, he happily walked off, already guzzling down his drink.

Ariel looked over to Nausicaa with a condoling look, who returned her gaze to her with a small smile. "Sorry for my outburst. My sister has sent him after me multiple times before, even when I'm not on adventures. It's just… frustrating."

Ariel reached out across the table and held Nausicaa's hand, giving it a squeeze. The two stared into each other's eyes for a little bit, before Ariel brought back her hand. She signed, "I understand. Sometimes my father would send Sebastian after me when I went away from home. He never trusted me, either."

"I really appreciate your honesty with me," Nausicaa said calmly. "It's nice to have someone I can talk to about these things. You always seem to have the right thing to say."

The two continued eating. At one point the two were down to just one piece of caramel popcorn in a box they shared. Ariel took that last piece as Nausicaa was finishing up some pretzel bread. Staring at it, then at Nausicaa, Ariel reached over and handed her the popcorn, smiling. Looking at Ariel, Nausicaa smiled warmly. "You're so sweet. Thank you."

Ariel giggled, signing "and you are sweet like all this food."

The two shared a laugh, not realizing that they were both very red with blush.

…

After their 'meal' of desserts, Nausicaa and Ariel went to play some of the festival games.

There were different racing exercises, more hand-eye-coordination-based games like balloon popping and ring toss, and there was even a small petting zoo (Nausicaa especially delighted in that). All the while, the girls kept an eye out for their "mystery persons", on the off chance that they'd be present at a large festival like this. But they had no luck.

The sounds of clapping alerted Nausicaa and Ariel to a large clearing in town where couples were dancing together.

Ariel pointed to the crowds and signed "are they dancing?"

"Yes!" Nausicaa replied, "haven't you ever danced before?"

Ariel, frowning, shook her head and signed "no. We never danced at our kingdom."

"Well… if your legs feel up to it, would you like to dance with me?" Nausicaa asked, holding out her hand.

Smiling widely, Ariel wasted no time accepting Nauiscaa's hand and pulling her to the dance floor. Everyone noticed the princess and cheered, for they loved her very much.

They stood at the center of the dance floor as the couples started their dances again. Nausicaa faced Ariel and gently guided her hands, one at her waist and the other grasping hers. "Follow my lead, okay?" Nausicaa spoke as she began to move in step with the slow music. Ariel looked down at her own feet, always keeping pace with her dance partner. Little by little, she picked up the steps and was soon dancing competently with Nausicaa.

Kurotawa watched from the crowds, crossing his arms and giving his crooked smile. "Well well well… that Ariel's a natural," he said to himself.

Their first dance completed, Nausicaa and Ariel stood face to face, panting and smiling at each other. Amidst the clapping and cheering from the crowd, Ariel gave Nausicaa the biggest hug, spinning her around on her feet.

Recovering, Nausicaa looked to Ariel and laughed. "I take it you enjoyed that?" she asked.

Ariel was on the verge of tears as she signed elegantly, "never in my life have I been as happy as I am right now. You have done so much for me already and I don't know how I could ever repay you."

Nausicaa cooed, taking Ariel's hands in hers. "Ariel… you don't ever have to repay me for anything. You're my special guest and I told you I would take care of you. I really like you."

Ariel, blushing, went to hug Nausicaa again, who returned it warmly.

About to exit the crowd, Kurotawa chuckled to himself. "Well then… this is interesting indeed. Perhaps Kushana was being over-worried about-"

He stopped to see a small crab protrude out from Ariel's sleeve, desperate for air. Cocking an eyebrow, he watched Sebastian take deep breaths and return inside Ariel's dress.

"Huh… that's… different," Kurotawa commented. "She looked like more of a cat person to me." As he was walking away, he pulled out a small trinket from his belt. It was a golden pendant, engraved at the center with a seashell pattern and the image of a mermaid. Looking at it, Kurotawa turned his head back to see Ariel and Nausicaa interacting with the townspeople. He thought hard about Ariel's story… rescued from the sea with injured legs. Could it be possible…

Kurotawa put the pendant away, securing his sword. "Stranger things have happened…" was all he said suspiciously as he continued on.

_To be continued… _


	8. Chapter 8

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 8

"So… Ariel… are ya tinking of maybe… I don know… figuring out dis prince ting yet?" Sebastian asked frantically to a very whimsical Ariel, brushing her hair.

She shrugged, continuing her work.

"Ariel!" Sebastian fumed, smacking his claws to his face. "We're already on our second month! An we ain't even come close ta locatin dis dude! Don't ya tink dat is a priority? Even a little bit?"

Ariel, rolling her eyes, finally turned to Sebastian, signing with her hands. The crab shook his head and waved a claw away, "Ariel, ya know I don know dat stuff."

Silently groaning, Ariel strolled over to her desk, picked up a pen and some paper, and returned to her vanity. Scribbling some words, she held the paper up to Sebastian, reading: _I know it's very important, Sebastian, but there is still plenty of time to search. Right now, I'm just focused on other things_.

"Oh yeah?" Sebastian replied in a mocking tone, cocking an eyebrow, "focused on what? Hmm?"

Ariel scribbled some more: _I'm just getting to know Nausicaa more. She's been nothing but wonderful to me._

"Hmmph, dat is true. She is probably da sweetest person I've eva seen… and I know your sister Alana. Heh." Sebastian chuckled, scuttling back to rest on a jewelry box. "Ariel… I… I'm just tinking out loud here. But…. eh… how specific was dat spell Ursula gave ya?"

_What do you mean?_

"I mean… does… does this human you're looking for… _have _to be a prince?"

_Well, Ursula said the spell was specifically for changing me from a mermaid into a human. To keep me as a human forever, I just need to find the one I'm looking for and profess my love to them within three months time. I guess she didn't explicitly say it had to be that prince. Why?_

Sebastian stopped for a moment, tapping one of his feet as he thought. Sighing, he looked up to Ariel. "It's just dat… maybe dis prince isn't worth all da trouble. I might be a bit of a hard-shell sometimes, but I know love when I see it. And I tink you might be falling in love with Nausicaa instead."

Ariel sat back suddenly, placing a hand to her chest in shock. She furiously wrote some more: _In love with Nausicaa? Don't be silly! What makes you think I love her?_

"Oh Ariel… I see it in ya eyes. Da way you look at her… da way to sign to her. Da way she looks at you… da way she speaks to you." Sebastian batting his eyes comically, "I dare say she might love ya too!"

Rubbing her arm and blushing, Ariel looked around the room for a moment before writing some more: _Do you really think so?_

"Yes! It's pretty obvious, girl! Look… ya as red as me right now tinking 'bout it!" Sebastian laughed, pointing to her.

Shaking her head, Ariel gave a quiet laugh. Placing a hand to her cheek, she longingly wrote her thoughts: _Nausicaa is one of the most loving people I've ever met. I do feel safe and happy whenever I'm with her. When she talks to me, I know she cares about me and wants to spend time with me. She doesn't feel fake like the other merfolk. _

She stopped briefly, only to complete her thoughts: _Maybe you're right. Maybe I do love her._

"Ohh Ariel." Sebastian walked over to the young woman and gave a hug as best he can. Ariel returned the gesture by giving a gentle rub along his carapace with her finger.

"I tink it's worth a try… talk ta her… er, I mean… sign ta her, let her know how ya feeling, and maybe… who knows?" Sebastian suggested, giving an encouraging smile.

While all of this was going on, Kurotawa had been close by keeping surveillance on Ariel. By Queen Kushana's recommendation, he crawled into the attic above the guest room and watched as the woman wrote to the crab that sat on her vanity.

"Yep… I'm definitely not crazy." Kurotawa muttered to himself, smirking. "What on Earth does a crab have to say anyway?"

There was a knock at the door. Ariel quickly gestured for Sebastian to hide under her bed while she answered it. Nausicaa was there, holding some bags of feed.

"Hey Ariel!" Nausicaa beamed, "are you ready to go horseback riding with me and Lord Yupa?"

Ariel nodded her head excitedly and signed "you know it! Let me just get my shoes and I'll be ready."

"Great! Meet you downstairs!" With that, Nausicaa was off.

Ariel quickly slipped on some boots and turned to Sebastian, as if asking if he wanted to join them. "No no… no more furry tings please." Sebastian groaned. "If dey were seahorses, den maybe," he added with a chuckle.

Giving a quick smile, Ariel closed the door behind her. Followed immediately by Kurotawa jumping in the room from a carefully placed board on the ceiling. Sebastian stood motionless as the man trudged up to the vanity, flipping through all of Ariel's writings.

Soon Sebastian got a good view of Kurotawa's armor, recognizing him as the man they met at the festival (and a few times afterwards). "Oh no! I knew dat man was suspicious!" Sebastian piped to himself, staying low.

Kurotawa stopped as he found some writings in particular.

"Well well well… just like the tales of the ancient legends." Kurotawa spoke to himself, relishing everything with reserved glee. "A mermaid, longing for a human existence, has herself magically transformed into a human being. And only true love can make her wish a reality… oh this is rich."

Flipping some more, he chuckled audibly. "And look… she just so happens to have fallen in love with the Princess Nausicaa. Aww."

Sebastian watched him with glaring eyes.

"That's it then... this "Kingdom of Pacifica" may very well be the mythical Kingdom of Atlantica described by the ancient explorers. I knew that sounded familiar. Oh Kushana will definitely want to hear about this. Provided she believes me." Pocketing all the notes, he turned to exit the room.

His head full of care for Ariel, Sebastian burst from under the bed and tried desperately to pinch and claw at Kurotawa's armored legs.

The man looked down and suppressed another chuckle. "Oh no, whatever will I do? This ferocious beast is attacking me."

Pulling out some strong wires from his belt, Kurotawa picked up Sebastian and tied him together. The grip was so tight that all the crab could barely move. Sebastian held his head down in defeat.

"You know what? I bet you can help me make my case." Kurotawa snickered, before leaving the room.

…

It was a lovely, breezy afternoon as Nausicaa, Ariel, and Yupa trekked across the grassy hills of the kingdom. Ariel had been horseback riding with Nausicaa many times before, having become an amateur who could keep their own. And her mermaid powers helped too.

"Jeez, you're a natural already!? Someone give this girl a metal." Ariel's horse spoke sarcastically.

"Oh come off it, Kai!" replied Kui, the horse to which Nausicaa wrode, "Don't listen to him dear, you're a quick learner. That's something to be proud of."

Ariel grinned, giving Kai a small scratch behind the ear.

"Don't think you can warm your way- ooh that's nice, a little lower please." Kai was soothed.

As Ariel petted her horse, Yupa motioned Nausicaa to follow him for a moment.

"Excuse me, Ariel. I'll be right back." Nausicaa said, giving Ariel a pat on the back. She replied with a quick sign of "okay! I won't be far" before returning to her reins.

Lord Yupa took Nausicaa a little ways away, just enough so that Ariel couldn't hear them. "Are you having a good time, Nausicaa?" he asked kindly.

"Absolutely! What do you want? Is everything okay?" Nausicaa responded, a tint of worry in her voice.

"Yes, yes, everything's fine! No cause for alarm." Yupa continued, "I just wanted to touch base about that mysterious savior of yours. Any luck finding her?"

Nausicaa signed, sinking her shoulders. "No… it's like she doesn't exist! I don't get it. She saved my life! Don't you think she'd maybe want to… I don't know… check up on me?"

Yupa didn't say anything, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm sure if I keep looking, than maybe I'll find her. I… She…." Nausicaa stuttered, after which Yupa intervened with a simple question.

"How do you feel about Ariel?"

"Ariel?" Nausicaa piped, turning briefly to look at her. Ariel was occupied with exploring the hills.

"She's one of the most amazing people I've ever met." Nausicaa finally replied, looking back at Yupa.

"Wow. The most amazing, huh?" Yupa said, jokingly ashamed.

Nausicaa giggled, "I said _one _of the most amazing! No one can hold a candle to all you've done."

"Oh you flatter me." Yupa waved a hand, smiling. "But, back to Ariel… you really care about her don't you?"

"Yes. Yes I do."

"And it seems like you'll do anything for her, am I mistaken?"

"I've done so much for her already, and I would do it all again for her. Honestly. After everything she's been through, she deserves happiness and care-"

"And love?"

Nausicaa remained silent, looking to Yupa as her cheeks quickly turned pink.

"Nausicaa… if I may say." Yupa began, adjusting his reins and giving the Princess his full attention. "Far better than any mystery girl, whoever (or if-ever) she may be, is one of flesh and blood. One warm and caring, and full of life."

She looked down at her horse, trying to hide her feelings but knowing full well what Yupa was saying. There was no denying it.

"She's right before your eyes, Princess." Yupa said warmly, before trotting back to join Ariel.

…

Darkness began to flood the deep ocean as dusk turned into night. As worry turned to mad panic, King Triton sent hundreds and hundreds of search parties to scour every last inch of the ocean for Ariel and Sebastian. Triton's daughters volunteered to join the search, not caring to stay passive while the kingdom did all the work for them.

Triton himself was on his own, swimming past trench after trench and asking all from the tiniest comb jelly to the biggest whales for anything they knew. But it was no luck.

In a fit of frustration, Triton collapsed on the ocean floor, head held in his hands, as he cried. He had never felt more heartbroken and lost, not since his own wife was tragically killed.

He rested on his staff, cradling the small charm that hung from it: a gold pendant that displayed tiny trinkets from each of his daughters. Ariel's was a little pearl.

"Why me? Why her? Why him? I would give anything, my kingdom and all, just to see my little Ariel again." Triton wallowed, eyes shut with remorse.

And then something buzzed in his ear. A faint sound, as if coming from far away.

Triton opened his eyes and tried to locate the source, but he struggled. He tried phasing out every other noise, focusing on the sound.

Soon enough, he was able to make out a very elegant, very familiar song.

Panicking, he started swimming towards it, huffing and puffing.

"Ariel?" he whispered.

The song grew louder and louder. It sounded exactly like her.

"Ariel! ARIEL!" Triton was yelling now, cruising into a series of ocean trenches. The sea grew colder with each lap.

Eventually, he reached a big cave in the trench, face wide with excitement as the voice appeared to be right in front of him.

"Oh Ariel! I've finally-"

Triton stopped, gazing in utter disbelief at a flowery-dressed Ursula, dancing in her lair. She turned to him, causing her song to mellow out into a hum.

Ursula fidgeted her hands, looking around the room with wide eyes.

Then she finally spoke. The words leaving her mouth were Ariel's.

"Okay, hear me out."

_To be continued..._


	9. Chapter 9

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 9

Taking advantage of the time which Nausicaa and Ariel were out horseback riding with Lord Yupa, Kurotawa met with Queen Kushana in the throne room.

"So… Ariel is a mermaid? That's what you're telling me?" Kushana said, deadpanned as she leaned on her regal chair.

Kurotawa nodded his head excitingly. "It's all right here on paper from Ariel herself! I know it sounds crazy-"

"That's because it is crazy!" Kushana sat up, eyes glaring madly. "I ask you to do one thing for me and you come to me with… fantastical nonsense!"

"Your highness, I assure you I'm not kidding around! You know as well as I do-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, your secret quests into the world of mystery. Lost societies. Mythical monsters. Blah blah," Kushana mocked. "A fool's errand, really."

Kurotawa stood there in disappointed shock. "So… you don't believe me? Your most trusted friend?"

"I don't throw the word friend around so casually… you are part of the royal guard: you work for me. Whether or not I like you as a friend is a different matter." She replied, matter-of-factly.

"Oh. Well then… ouch. I think you're going to make me cry." Kurotawa fake weeped, rubbing his right eye.

Groaning with frustration, Kushana slammed her fist on the arm rest. "You're five seconds from getting your head sliced clean off!"

"Your Majesty, please! Why would I lie to you?!" Kurotawa exclaimed, pulling out a restrained Sebastian from his belt. "If you want more proof, I have some right here!"

Kushana studied the crab closely, cocking an eyebrow.

"A crab? Seriously?"

"Yes! I witnessed her first hand, communicating with him! You know mermaids, they can speak to animals." Kurotawa explained, dangling Sebastian around. "I found this one in her room. It seems important to her."

"Now I'm confident you've gone mad." Kushana sighed, snapping her fingers. "Guards!"

"Wait, wait!" Kurotawa yelled, waving his arms for mercy as two armed guards stepped in. "Just keep hearing me out, please!"

Kushana watched at the guards seized the man and began to drag him out of the throne room. Struggling, he called out. "I think Ariel might be after the kingdom! She lied to us about her homeland!"

Raising a hand, Kushana stopped the guards from continuing forward.

"Elaborate."

Kurotawa, sweating, took a deep breath. "She lied about Pacifica, she lied about her reasons for washing up on the beach… you were right in your speculations! And we can prove it, together! Please!"

"Guards, release this idiot." Kushana ordered. The guards simple chucked him back towards her, causing him to stumble to the ground. He sat up, raising his head as Kushana walked up to him.

There, standing with her arms to her hips, she glared down to him. "I was right? What does that mean? Are you telling me that you think Ariel might be plotting something against our kingdom?"

Gasping for breaths, Kurotawa nodded. "I understand that you don't believe me about Ariel's biological identity. And I know you don't believe me about the hidden realm of the merfolk. But you know, and I know that the Kingdom of Pacifica does not exist. Doesn't it sound suspicious that Ariel gave us the name of a place that sounds like a cover-up of Atlantica?"

For once, Kushana pondered over this. She placed two fingers on her chin. "Perhaps… yes, that is strange."

"And doesn't it seem suspicious," Kurotawa continued, "that Ariel arrived on our border with injured legs? Seemingly from a shipwreck at sea which, I remind you, our surveys have never found a trace of? Not even bits of timber?"

"Mhmm." Kushana nodded, ever more intrigued.

"And… I mean… I found a damn crab in her room." Kurotawa held Sebastian back up, his little face whimpering.

"What are you saying?" Kushana asked.

"I think… and I'm not 100% sure on this but my suspicion is very high… this Ariel is indeed a mermaid, who purposefully disguised herself as a human to infiltrate our kingdom and get close to Nausicaa. The two are inseparable, if you haven't noticed already: she practically has your sister by the collar. And Nausicaa, being the princess, has a future tie to the throne…"

"... and all that needs to be done is to eliminate me," Kushana added on, "brainwash Nausicaa into letting her have the throne… and then the people of Atlantica can invade and annex our Kingdom!"

Kurotawa pooched his lip with surprise. "That's… yeah, that's where I was going with that."

Kushana, standing up now, clenched her fists. "Dammit Kurotawa! It's so mind-numbingly ridiculous that even I buy it."

Standing to join her, Kurotawa clasping his hands together and smiled. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Don't get used to it." Kushana piped. "Here's what we'll do..."

…

It was evening time when Nausicaa, Ariel, and Yupa returned to the castle. Since dinner-time was approaching within the next few hours, everyone went their separate ways to get washed up and ready. As Yupa left to his quarters, he nudged Nausicaa with his shoulder and gave her a wink. Nausicaa returned his gesture with a warm smile.

Ariel was playing with her hair by the stairway when Nausicaa walked up to her.

"Hey." She spoke quietly. "Did you have a nice time horseback riding with me?"

Turning to the princess, Ariel grinned and signed "It was very wonderful. Such beautiful animals. I appreciate you teaching me to ride."

"Of course! I'm glad to." Nausicaa replied happily, "you're my special guest."

Perhaps automatically, Ariel reached forward to grasp Nausicaa's hands. Blushing, Nausicaa returned a gentle squeeze to Ariel's palms. The two of them looked into each other's eyes for a while, smiling and taking in each other's features.

"Ariel… I need to tell you something. I-" Nausicaa began, before Kushana stepped into the room and held her hands out joyfully.

"Sister! Ah! You're back! I'm so glad to see you!" She called, pulling Nausicaa away into a hug.

Ariel looked on with confused curiosity.

"Kushana… agh! What are you- It's good to see you too but you're choking me!" Nausicaa muffled under Kushana's grip.

Finally, Kushana released her. Nausicaa readjusted her hair and stared at her sister with bewilderment. "What's gotten into you? You never hug me like that."

"I'm just so happy. I received some fantastic news that I know you'll want to hear." Kushana turned to Ariel. " Erm… if it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to speak to my sister privately."

Ariel shook her head rapidly, signing "Yes, your Majesty. Of course! Nausicaa, I'll be in my room washing up for dinner."

"Okay… see you soon." Nausicaa replied, a little bummed that she couldn't spend more time with Ariel at the moment.

As Ariel ran up the stairs, Nausicaa turned to Kushana. "Fantastic news? It has to be pretty special to get you this excited."

"Oh yes… come, come with me to the throne room." Kushana led Nausicaa away.

…

Ariel approached her room and opened the door with glee, hoping to get Sebastian's attention. When he didn't show up, she entered the room and looked around for him.

As she crouched down to check under the bed, Kurotawa emerged from the dresser and pointed his sword right at her back.

"If you don't want to get hurt, I suggest you do exactly as I say."

Frozen with fear, Ariel craned her head just enough to make out Kurotawa, standing menacingly before her.

With a swift motion, she tried to kick one of his legs to get him to fall over, but his armor was too strong and she ended up bruising her foot. She recoiled her leg in pain.

"Pff, they always go for the legs." Kurotawa chuckled, before beating the blunt end of his sword over Ariel's head.

Suddenly, everything went black.

…

"Kushana, what is it?" Nausicaa asked with a tint of frustration in her voice.

Pulling aside some parchment, Kushana sat on her throne and read the text aloud. "Dearest Queen Kushana, of the Kingdom of the Wind, it is with deepest care that we wish to inform you of our situation. It seems that our current heir to the throne, Princess Lastelle of the Kingdom of Pejite, has revealed to us her deepest affections for your sister, Princess Nausicaa. She professed how she rescued her from a devastating shipwreck and ensured her safety before help arrived. The poor girl was too shy to confront anyone about it and so this was kept for us for quite some time. Now that she has revealed this to us, we humbly request an audience to discuss this further. It seems that Princess Lastelle wishes to court and marry Princess Nausicaa as soon as possible. We hope this doesn't come as too much of a shock, and we would be most joyous if you considered it. This could be the start of a great alliance within our kingdoms. Humbly yours, King Asbel III."

Placing the parchment aside, Kushana looked to Nausicaa with delight. Nausicaa, on the other hand, looked very uneasy.

"She… my savior was real?" Nausicaa finally spoke, nearly breathless.

"Yes, Nausicaa, she is! How fortunate that your speculations were all true?!" Kushana answered, grinning.

"I… I don't believe it."

"Well… you better believe it! Because the audience with us has already been accepted! They're coming first thing tomorrow morning!"

Shaking her head, Nausicaa's jaw dropped to the floor. "What?! No! No I can't do this!"

Kushana's grin dropped immediately. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"I… I mean, I'm flattered. And I certainly understand Princess Lastelle's feelings for me. But… I… I don't love her. I don't want to marry her." Nausicaa explained, her heart to her chest. "I want to marry Ariel. I love her."

Kushana belted out a laugh, "Ariel? The mute?"

"Don't talk about her like that, EVER!" Nausicaa stomped her foot, leaning towards her sister angrily.

"Excuse me?!" Kushana snapped, "Do you forget who you're talking to?!"

"I DON'T CARE!" Nausicaa screamed, "I will not sit here and have you dictate my life for me! Ariel makes me so happy, more than I've ever been! And you've been nothing but dismissive of her! Do you have any empathy?!"

"Nausicaa, Ariel isn't even royalty! Marrying her would remove any legitimacy from the future throne! Our Kingdom would be a disgrace among nations! Listen to yourself!" Kushana stood up.

"I am listening to myself," Nausicaa said definitively. "I'm listening to my heart, and it tells me Ariel is true love." Then she turned to walk away. "Call off the audience, I'm not going."

"Get back here. I SAID GET BACK- NAUSICAA!" Kushana exclaimed.

Still, Nausicaa continued to exit the room, tall and proud.

"GUARDS!" Kushana ordered. "SEIZE HER!"

Two guards rushed up to Nausicaa, who very quickly dispatched them with a series of swift kicks and jumps. More guards piled in, turning the throne room into a huge brawl. Nausicaa managed to knock out several more before they began to overpower her. Soon she was being held down by five guards, and even they were having trouble.

Nausicaa's head hung low as Kushana marched up to them. She grabbed Nausicaa's hair and yanked her up so she could look directly at her.

"I have had enough of this. You ungrateful child. I have been more than patient with you, but it's time you did your duty and acted like the princess you are. You're going to marry Princess Lastelle tomorrow whether you like it or not. Do you hear me?"

Tears welled up in Nausicaa's eyes as she bared her teeth at her older sister.

"I fucking hate you."

Taken aback, Kushana shook her head and snapped her fingers. "Lock her in her room until tomorrow. We're done here."

With that, the guards hauled Nausicaa away. This time, however, she did not resist.

…

Ariel came to inside a dark, dusty jail-cell, seemingly below the castle in some sort of dungeon. She rubbed her head, wincing as she touched a small bump. Looking around, she tried to move forward, only to slip and fall on her hands. Ariel turned to see that two chains had been placed around her bare feet, tying her to the wall of the cell.

"Rise and shine Sleeping Beauty!" called Kurotawa from outside the bars. He had been sitting here for a little while.

Scowling, Ariel aggressively signed to him. "Why did you attack me?!"

"Well, I can't have you causing any more trouble around the kingdom, now can't I? It must be so easy for you, seeing as you've roped Princess Nausicaa along hook, line, and sinker."

Ariel cocked her head back in confusion. She signed "Nausicaa? Where is she?" 

"Away from you... for once." Kurotawa piped, spreading a sly smile. "People need their space every once and awhile, you know?"

"If she's in danger, so help me I'll-" Ariel began to sign, before Kurotawa punched one of the bars, sending her down on her rump.

"Don't think you can threaten me, mermaid!" Kurotawa barked.

Ariel's breath caught in her throat. "No," she signed, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh come off it. I know your whole story Ariel! You're a mermaid who turned herself into a human! I've read countless legends like that! AND I know all about Atlantica."

Ariel watched in horror as Kurotawa pulled out his golden pendant, with the seashell pattern and the image of the mermaid. She immediately recognized it as her late mother's.

"Especially since I've dealt with your kind before." Kurotawa finished, waving the pendant around before putting it away and cackling.

Ariel sank to the ground in despair, sobbing and shaking her shoulders.

"Here's what's gonna happen little fish." Kurotawa walked up to the bars, crouching to get on her level. "Princess Nausicaa is going to marry royalty and live out the rest of her life as was intended for her. You, meanwhile, will stay here for the rest of your three months until… I think you're supposed to die, is it? Ah, details details."

Ariel finally looked up to Kurotawa with tear-soaked eyes and signed, "why are you doing this to us?"

"I know your type like the back of my hand… you intend to murder our Queen and take our Kingdom for Atlantica. I've seen this all before, but it's not going to happen this time."

Ariel signed frantically, "No! I would never do that! I love the Kingdom, the surface world, humans! And I love Nausicaa, with all my heart!"

"Awww, how romantic!" Kurotawa stood up, pulling Sebastian from his belt. "Your species is nothing but a bunch of vain, sensuous fish who take pleasure in the torture of humankind. The less of you there are the better. And… in time… I intend to wipe Atlantica off the map. Until then… here, say your goodbyes to your little crustacean friend. If three months don't kill you, lack of food and water will."

Kurotawa chucked Sebastian into the cell and made leave.

As the crab was still tied up, Ariel reached down and quickly unweaved the wires.

"Oh Ariel! Dis is just awful! We been betrayed!" Sebastian moaned, finally stretching his numb legs.

Ariel, still crying, desperately signed to Sebastian. He looked to her and shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry Ariel, I don't understand you."

Clenching her fists, Ariel turned to the wall of the cell and repeatedly pounded on the brick in anger.

"Ariel! Please don't hurt yourself anymore!" Sebastian cried out, scuttling over to her and placing a claw to her leg. "We'll figur a way outta dis. Please calm down!"

Stopping, Ariel slinked down and collapsed to the floor, covering her eyes with her hands.

_It was too good to be true. I just don't deserve happiness at all. _Ariel thought, eyes fresh with new tears.

Deep in her now-locked room, Nausicaa fell to her bed and felt the exact same way.

_To be concluded…_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Part of Your World**_

Chapter 10 (Finale)

Morning had already long arrived when the final preparations for the royal wedding were completed. All the kingdom gathered along the seashore, intermingling with the citizens of the Kingdom of Pejite who arrived bright and early to greet the Queen.

King Asbel III, the Princess Lastelle, and her brother Asbel approached Queen Kushana and Kurotawa, giving them a deep bow.

"What a joy to see you here on this glorious day!" Kushana beamed, returning the gesture. "I hope the traveling conditions served you well."

"Indeed they have! A sure sign that the blessings of this union between our kingdoms are many," replied King Asbel. "And my little girl is so excited to be here, aren't you?"

Lastelle, swallowing with anxiety, mustered herself to Kushana. "Yes, I am… very excited."

"Wonderful! And our own Princess Nausicaa is certainly very delighted! She obsessed over your identification for weeks! She said you were 'her savior'! Ha! How sweet!" Kushana grinned, clasping her hands together.

Not far away, standing by a refreshments table, was Lord Yupa and Obaba. Yupa in particular gave the visiting royalty of Pejite a long, skeptical look.

"I'm so confused Obaba." He said, his voice low.

"As am I," answered Obaba, her head draped in cloth, "I thought for sure that Nausicaa would choose that sweet girl Ariel to be her partner."

"Yeah, me too. It's curious… I understand that the Kingdom of the Wind has been seeking an alliance with the Kingdom of Pejite for quite some time now. It is rather convenient that Nausicaa would suddenly choose to marry the Princess of Pejite… that is… if she had a choice at all." Yupa pondered, rubbing his mustache.

"Do you think this is all staged by our Queen?" Obaba asked, making sure her voice was low, as guards were stationed everywhere.

"Her fingerprints are all over it, no doubt. Perhaps it would do some good to talk with her about it… since Nausicaa is nowhere to be seen at the moment. She didn't even come down to dinner last night."

Indeed, Nausicaa was trapped in her room. Several guards were on standby right behind her bedroom door as a few maids went to work fitting Nausicaa into a gown. The entire time, she did not fight with the maids, going through with her sister's orders and holding her head stoically. Whatever happened after the wedding, Nausicaa would figure something out. She just hoped that Ariel was okay, knowing full well that Kushana had something done to her.

…

Ariel was still locked in the dungeon. Several hours without proper food and water had left her a crumpled mess on the floor. The chain around her foot prevented her from moving about and only added to her pain. Sebastian was right by her side, doing whatever he could to console her.

"Ahh mon, I wish der was someting I could do…" Sebastian frowned, stroking Ariel's hair. She didn't bother to get up, only rested her head to the side and looked at her crustacean friend with depressed eyes.

The sound of a door unlocking and opening could be heard, followed by a series of sharp footsteps. Two armored guards walked right past Ariel's cell, seemingly to check up on another prisoner.

Sebastian's eyes widened, suddenly hatching an idea.

"Okay… okay, Ariel… I'm abouta do someting way outta my comfort zone!" He exclaimed, hopping in front of her sulking face. "Just stay here… Imma gonna go get help. Ders no way I'm gonna be a soft-shell today!"

Ariel watched as Sebastian laid low next to the bars. Within a minute or two, the guards were walking past the cell again, and Sebastian latched himself carefully onto one of their boots. Seeing that he wasn't noticed, he hung tight as the guards exited the dungeon and went to inspect another part of the castle. Once outside, Sebastian leaped off and scuttled behind a vase.

"Jeez dat was close." Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay… now I gotta find dat little furry ting."

…

Elegant orchestral music played as Nausicaa was led down the aisle, dressed in a beautiful wedding-gown but wearing a sullen expression. She was flanked by two armed guards.

Yupa, noticing this with wild alarm, turned to Kushana, who was seated next to him in the front row.

"Pardon my intrusion, your majesty, but I'm curious about some of your decisions behind the wedding." Yupa asked with a concerned voice.

"My decisions?" Kushana replied, "this was all Nausicaa's idea."

"That's very interesting to hear, because I was under the assumption that she'd want me to lead her down the aisle. Nausicaa has told me multiple times that I'm like a father to her."

"Lord Yupa… are you jealous?" Kushana chuckled.

"Your majesty… that is beyond my character and beside the point. Are these armed guards really necessary?" Yupa sounded dumbfounded.

"Officials of the highest royalty are in attendance, Lord Yupa. We want to make sure everyone feels safe… and no one gets into trouble."

"But… your majesty-" Yupa began, before being shushed by Kurotawa. "Will you pipe down, old man?!"

Glaring, Yupa got up as discreetly as possible. "Please excuse me, I need to freshen up."

Eyeing him as he left the ceremony for the castle, Kushana motioned for some guards. As they approached, she leaned in to them, "keep an eye on Lord Yupa."

With that, they followed him.

Nausicaa finally reached the altar, sharing a passive glance at Lastelle, who offered a weak smile and gloomy eyes.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today-" began the priest.

Suddenly, several people started screaming, jumping up from their seats and running in all directions. A very lanky lion was strolling down the aisle, giving the most half-hearted growls. He knew full well his appearance was more than enough.

"Heh heh… fools." He bellowed under his breath.

Flocks of exotic birds started fluttering and soaring above the heads of the crowd, with some dive-bombing and causing people to fall on their faces. More and more creatures, furry and scaly, slinked and scattered across the wedding area.

Kushana and Kurotawa rose up in alarm at the chaos.

"What the hell is going on?!" Kurotawa exclaimed.

"Who let all the animals out of the menagerie?!" Kushana bellowed angrily, clenching her fists.

Nausicaa was caught off guard when she could swear she saw a red crab riding atop Teto, who was barking up a storm.

…

Lord Yupa kept casual as he strolled through the castle towards the stairs leading down into the dungeon. He already knew he was being followed by some of the guards, but he pretended not to notice.

As he ascended the stairs, he was greeted by two more soldiers.

"Halt! No one is to enter the dungeon by order of the Queen."

"Pardon my intrusion, but I'm afraid I may have forgotten one of my swords on the weapons rack. I'll only be a minute," Yupa said in a friendly manner.

"We were just down there: none of your swords are present," replied a guard.

Kushana's guards strolled right up behind Yupa. One spoke up quickly and authoritatively. "What do you think you're doing Lord Yupa?"

Sighing, Yupa cracked his knuckles. "I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way."

Down in the dungeon, Ariel overheard the intense sounds of terrified yelling and metallic armor scattering to the ground, followed by a chorus of pleas. She crawled as best she could towards the bars and waited as a series of rapid footsteps heralded the arrival of Yupa.

"Good heavens! So that's where you've been." Yupa remarked, using a pair of keys he swiped to unlock the bars and release Ariel from her chain.

She gently rubbed her heel, relieved to be free, and attempted to get up. The stress and weight of everything caused her to tumble over into Yupa's arms.

"Whoa there! You poor girl. I am so sorry on behalf of our kingdom. I didn't know our Queen would stoop so low." Yupa softly apologized, taking care to keep Ariel steady.

Ariel gave a faint smile and signed, "it is not your fault. You are a kind man. Is Nausicaa okay? Where is she?"

"If my suspicions are correct - and at this point they pretty much are - she's being married against her will to a foreign princess right now." Yupa explained, to which Ariel visibly cringed.

"Then we're too late!" She signed, her frown returning.

"Not just yet… but we have to hurry! Can you walk or run?" Yupa asked, giving Ariel a chance to get her footing. It was no use: her knees crumpled slightly.

Shaking her head, she signed, "I'm so tired from lack of food and water. Kurotawa and the Queen wanted me dead."

"I never liked that man." Yupa commented, picking Ariel back up and heading for the door, "let's save the details for later. Nausicaa needs our help! Goodness knows we need to find a way to stop the wedding."

…

Kushana's guards were having a difficult time rounding up all the animals and settling down the crowd of frightened guests. Already a sloth bear was eating at the wedding cake.

"Everyone! Please remain calm!" Kushana called out to the crowd, but to no avail.

Gritting her teeth, the rounded on Nausicaa: "you had something to do with this, didn't you?!"

"No! I swear!" Nausicaa pleaded, holding out her hands in defense.

"Does this mean the wedding's off?" Lastelle asked giddily.

"No! You stay right there!" Yelled King Asbel, running up to the group. "This is insanity! Are you to make a mockery of us?" He exclaimed to Kushana, pointing his finger.

"Your majesty, I can assure you this was not planned!" Kushana replied, "ugh, can this day get any worse?"

A bolt of piercing yellow shot across the seashore, crashing into a nearby cliff face. Everyone stopped and looked on in shock as a very large, muscular merman rose from the waves, brandishing a golden trident. He was flanked by several armored merfolk, as well as a group of mermaids and a very sheepish woman who was part-octopus.

"Humans!" bellowed King Triton, "we have come for my daughter, the Princess Ariel! Release her, and we will leave you in peace!"

"Princess Ariel?" asked Kushana, raising an eyebrow. Nausicaa's eyes widened. "Ariel… is a mermaid?" She whispered.

"If I find out anything has happened to her, so help me…" Triton glared, raising his glowing trident.

Smiling a blood-thirsty smile, Kurotawa approached the shore. "I bet you'd like that wouldn't you?" He called, "not on my watch!" Flanked by armed guards, Kurotawa unsheathed his sword.

Cocking his head to the side, Triton frowned at the man. "Why… why do you look familiar?"

"MEN!" Kurotawa ordered, "FIRE ON MY COMMAND!"

At once, all the soldiers pulled out their firearms and aimed them straight for the merfolk. Sensing the danger, Triton waved his arm and held his trident out horizontally. "Stay back girls… it looks like there's going to be a fight after all," he said cooly. Triton's daughters swam back from the advancing merfolk-soldiers. Ursula simply clasped her hands and gave an unsure grin.

"Kurotawa, wait!" Kushana called, but it was on deaf ears.

"FIRE!"

A barrage of bullets exploded towards the sea, but they bounced off the translucent shield formed from Triton's trident, and started flying back towards the beach.

Nausicaa wasted no time ushering people and animals away, putting her confused thoughts behind her head. "Get to the castle! Hurry!" She yelled, running to Obaba and sending her in the right direction.

"Kids! Get behind me!" King Asbel called, grabbing Lastelle and Asbel and shielding them.

At the right opportunity, Triton advanced on the beach. A surge of waves began to spill across the beach, pulling everything under. The crowd panicked and picked up their speed towards the castle. Sensing the rise, Sebastian tapped Teto's back. "Let's get outta here! I don tink you can swim!" Teto yipped and sped up away from the beach.

Kushana, looking at all that was unfolding, groaned and pulled out her own sword, joining Kurotawa's side.

"Always the instigator." Kushana said cynically.

"Hey, it was your idea to throw Ariel in the dungeon." Kurotawa joked back, keeping steady as the water pooled around his feet.

"Don't make me the villain here!" Kushana snapped.

Triton was able to get face-to-face with the Queen and her soldier. "Where is my Ariel?!" He demanded.

"You must be Triton, king of the merfolk." Kurotawa spoke, "I've read many legends about you."

"Is that so?" Triton replied, "what have you done with my daughter?"

"Locked away, where you will never reach her!" Kurotawa yelled back.

"You think you can send your daughter to usurp my throne and get away with it?" Kushana added, "as long as I am breathing, the Kingdom of the Wind will stand proud!"

"What are you talking about?!" Triton responded dumbfounded, "I don't want anything to do with humans! You're all curiosities to us! I'm here because that sea witch said she came here!"

Ursula simply waved her hand at the group.

"Yes, she did come here! Right into the arms of my younger sister!" Kushana said. "Kurotawa has told me all about your kind… you can't lie to me! I know you sent her to my kingdom to mess with my sister's mind and let her take the throne from me!"

"That is nonsense! I'm done arguing! If you don't hand over my daughter this instant, I'll flood the whole kingdom!" Triton's trident began to glow yet again.

"Not before I stab this through your head!" Kurotawa rounded, striking the sword against the trident.

And so a very intense battle erupted between Triton, Kushana, and Kurotawa. The two humans fought side-by-side, trying their best to outmaneuver the mer-king. Triton, with a hundred years of experience, whirled the trident around with remarkable skill. In the meantime, human and merfolk soldiers dueled on the rapidly flooding seashore.

…

Getting the last of the guests and animals away from the beach, Nausicaa turned to battle ensuing behind her. She looked on in utter shock at the merfolk before her, and couldn't help but watch them with glee: "Wow… they're real."

Teto's barking cued her attention back to the castle, as Lord Yupa had finally entered the outdoors with Ariel in his arms. The little dog, jumped around them. Sebastian smiled proudly: "see, what I tell ya?"

Gasping, she ran up to them. "Oh my goodness!" She frowned, reaching at Ariel and clasping her face. "Are you okay?!"

Ariel smiled weakly at her, and signed "yes… I am just sore."

"Did… did my sister do this to you?" Nausicaa asked, with a feeling she already knew the answer.

"I think so… it was Kurotawa who attacked me." Ariel signed, shrugging her shoulders.

"So, you've figured it out as well. I wish I'd found out sooner: I could have done something." Yupa spoke up regrettably.

"It's not your fault, Lord Yupa. I… I'm so saddened by everything." Nausicaa explained, crossing her arms and looking down, "I thought I knew my sister… but I don't think she cares about me at all."

"Queen or not, she needs to be held accountable. Where is she now?" Yupa replied.

Turning back, Nausicaa led Yupa, Ariel, Teto, and Sebastian towards the edge of the seashore, gesturing towards the battle. By now, the beach was submerged and all of the human soldiers had retreated. The chairs, tables, and other wedding decorations had washed away. Much of the crowd from the wedding stood near the show and could only watch as Triton battled their queen and her soldier.

The fight had gone on for a while. Triton was impressed by the skill of the two humans, despite purposefully going easy on them. He needed them alive in case they finally gave in and brought Ariel to him. But it was looking like they would not back down.

Kurotawa, now chest-deep in the water, repeatedly struck at the glowing trident with his sword. Triton held his ground, keeping an eye on the desperate man.

"Submit! Submit!" Kurotawa screamed, as he swung his now worn-down sword.

"Cease this foolishness! You can't defeat me!" Triton exclaimed, keeping steady on his trident.

But he had forgotten about Kushana for a moment, and the queen found her way around the mer-king, ready to strike at his back.

Ariel leaped out of Yupa's arms, signing "daddy" as tears welled up in her eyes. On painful legs, she jumped into the flooded beach in an attempt to warn him, but did not submerge.

"ARIEL!" Nausicaa, wasting no time, jumped right in after her.

Hearing his daughter's name, Triton swam around frantically, looking for the source of the call. Kushana attempted her swing, but missed and collided right into Kurotawa, sending the two crashing into the waves.

A harsh silence poured over the area as the merfolk and humans watched for a sign.

After a few minutes, Nausicaa hoisted an unconscious Ariel out of the water with an enormous splash. Gasping for breath, she struggled to swim to shore. Triton raised a wave beneath her as an aid, and Yupa, Teto, and Sebastian were there waiting just in case. The girls were placed gently on a soft, grassy hill.

Nausicaa laid Ariel down and looked her over. Leaning an ear to Ariel's lips, Nausicaa promptly performed CPR.

"Come on… come on… please…" she wept as she pressed on her chest.

Coughing, Ariel came to.

Nausicaa released a gasp of joy from her tear-soaked face. Ariel looked up at the happy girl, giving her own smile. Calmly, Ariel signed "you saved me." Giggling softly, Nausicaa replied, "I had to… I love you."

Just then, something dangling from Nausicaa's ear caught Ariel's eye. It was an elongated, red earring.

And then it clicked.

In a fit of silent laughs, Ariel beamed and signed "I love you too."

The two girls pulled together and gave each other a passionate kiss.

A warm, glowing light illuminated the two girls and shot out in all directions. Nearly everyone pulled back at the sight: Triton only watched in surprise.

As the light received, Nausicaa and Ariel pulled away from their kiss. Sensing a tremendous weight fall off her shoulders, Ariel moved her legs around and wiggled her toes. All the dull-soreness had vanished in an instant.

"I can't believe it… I'm a human." Ariel spoke for the first time in two months.

"Wha… Ariel. You can speak?!" Nausicaa exclaimed in delight and shock.

"I… yes. Yes! I can talk!" She replied, joyfull.

Then it was Nausicaa's turn for something to click. "Wait… your voice. It sounds so… familiar."

"Really?" Ariel replied.

"Yes! It… it was you! The one you saved me! That was you!" Nausicaa embraced Ariel in an enormous hug. "You're my savior!"

"And you're my prince… er… princess." Ariel responded, laughing. Nausicaa joined in, and the two simply held each other close.

…

It took a little while for Triton and the merfolk to clean up the seashore, and even longer for Ariel and Nausicaa to explain everything.

"So… let me see if I have this right," Triton began, scratching his head, "you rescued this human girl on your first trip to the surface, but you thought she was a prince. So you willingly went to Ursula, who gave you a potion to turn you into a human for three months, and it would become permanent only if you two professed your love for each other. But then you got back in contact with the girl again, not knowing she was this fictional prince, and fell in love with her. Is that correct?"

"Yes, daddy." Ariel replied, head hung low.

"And after all this… you're a human. Forever." Triton added, that last part very solemnly.

"That's right." Ariel held onto Nausicaa's hand tight. "I love Nausicaa. I feel happy here with her and her world… more so than I've ever felt back home." Ariel began to cry again. "I know you must be so disappointed and angry and embarrassed with me, but this is my choice, and I won't let you get to me ever again!"

"Embarrassed?" Triton repeated in a confused manner. "Oh Ariel." He gently placed his open palm to her chin, bringing her head up to look directly at him. "Have I made you feel this way? I didn't know… I love you with all my heart, Ariel. I know we've fought in the past, but I was only looking out for you! I never meant to hurt you in any way… and I... I was never embarrassed of you! I… I'm sorry, Ariel."

Seeing her father's saddened emotions, Ariel walked over to Triton and hugged him dearly. "It's alright, daddy."

"I promise I'll try to not be so strict… I just wish you could have told me these feelings you had. I'm sure we could have worked them out." Triton lamented, placing a gentle hand on Ariel's shoulder. "I know," Ariel replied, "you're right. I appreciate that you understand."

"UNHAND ME!" Kushana bellowed, held in the grasp of a very strong mer-soldier. Kurotawa, likewise, grumbled, "ugh! You slimy, disgusting creature! As soon as I get out of here, so help me…"

"What should we do with them, your highness?" asked one of the mer-soldiers.

Nausicaa stomped right up to Kushana, hands to her hips.

"Nausicaa! Are you just going to stand there and let these merfolk disrespect us like this?" Kushana yelled angrily.

"You mean like how you disrespected me?" Nausicaa replied shortly.

"I am your Queen, you do as I say!"

Snorting, Nausicaa bared her teeth. "You're not my Queen. And you're not my sister. Not anymore."

With that, she turned away, waving her hand. "Do with her what you want."

"NO! NAUSICAA! GET BACK HERE!" Kushana screamed, desperately trying to get out of the mer-soldier's grip.

"Hey! What about me?!" Kurotawa added hopefully.

"You," Nausicaa didn't even give him a glance, "can eat it."

As Nausicaa returned to Ariel's side, Triton faced the two human captives. He eyed Kurotawa especially, catching a glimpse of the golden pendant on his belt. "Wait… now I remember! You're one of those despicable humans who killed my wife! You evil, vile thing!"

"And proud of it too! The less of you around the better!" Kurotawa spat.

"You know what… killing you two would be too merciful." Triton beckoned Ursula to come over. "Ursula…" Triton sighed, "I'm willing to forgive all of your past transgressions if you'll take care of these two for me."

"Ooohh, with pleasure!" Ursula beamed, rubbing her palms together and kackling ominously.

Kushana and Kurotawa gulped as they felt a tingling sensation overtake them. The mer-soldiers released their grip as the two humans were magically transformed into sea cucumbers. They landed into Ursula's arms, barely able to wriggle.

"Aww… I'm going to take care of you cuties." Ursula smiled.

As Nausicaa, Ariel, and everyone spoke, King Asbel approached with his children. "Ahem… Princess Nausicaa… could I have a word?" He asked.

Nausicaa turned to the king with a deadpan look. "Yes?"

"I… em… I assure you I had not part in the harm of the Princess Ariel… I… I was just hoping that my little girl-"

"Save it, your highness." Nausicaa held her hand out. "With all due respect, a king who pawns his own daughter against her wishes is a poor human being. Unless you're willing to learn from your unkind behavior, I or my kingdom will have nothing to do with you."

"I… yes, of course." Red with embarrassment and shame, King Asbel simply slinked away. "My apologies. Come along, children." Lastelle and Asbel followed suit, Asbel throwing a comforting arm around his sister.

"Princess Lastelle!" Nausicaa called, the girl turning around to see her.

"You and your brother are welcome anytime you like." Nausicaa declared, to which Lastelle smiled happily and continued to follow her sullen father.

"Speaking of the kingdom…" Yupa approached, hands held together. "Since our Queen is now - rightfully - an invertebrate… we're going to need someone to lead us. And you, Nausicaa, are next in line."

"That's right!" Added Mito, emerging from the crowd. "All our wedding decor is gone… but we can still have a wedding!"

"Oh… OH! Well… I think I would be very happy with that. What do you think Ariel?" Nausicaa asked, collecting Ariel's hands in hers.

"Nothing would make me happier." Ariel smiled.

"I second that!" Triton exclaimed, "I can tell this human Nausicaa has a kind and true soul. If being with her is what you wish, then I support you fully."

Ariel was truly joyful, but as she looked over at Sebastian, her sisters, and all the other merfolk, something twinged inside her. "But… now that I'm a human, I can never go home and see you all ever again. I know I've had such strong feelings about Atlantica… but… you are my family."

"Oh Ariel." Sebastian frowned, scuttling over to hug her foot.

"An entire hidden kingdom under the sea…" Nausicaa said longingly, "what I wouldn't give to see and explore a place like that."

Slyly, Ursula approached the group, having sent her pets back to her cave. "You know… maybe I can help remedy this situation."

"What are you getting at, Ursula?" Triton rolled his eyes at her, a tinge of defense in his voice.

"I'm just saying… what if you and I combine our magic and we give Ariel and Nausicaa a little present for their wedding?" Ursula suggested, nudging Triton's shoulder.

Triton, realising this, gave a small 'hmmm' and rubbed his chin.

…

The following day, bright and early, a large ship set sail out to sea. Loaded on deck were hundreds of happy citizens from the Kingdom of the Wind (and a few happy animals as well). Swimming alongside the boat were the equally happy citizens of Atlantica, headed by King Triton, his daughters, and Sebastian.

Everyone looked on as Nausicaa and Ariel said their vows, affirming their love for each other.

"I now pronounce you, partners for life! You may kiss the bride," declared the priest.

With a deep kiss, Nausicaa and Ariel were officially married. The crowd cheered, throwing flowers up into the air.

Giving each other a look of assurance, Triton and Ursula sent out a beam of radiant light, enveloping Nausicaa and Ariel and raising them into the air.

They watched in awe as their lower-halves were transformed into finned-tails. Triton and Ursula had now made it so the girls could change from human to mermaid at will, thus ensuring that they were free to visit each other's kingdoms.

Hand-in-hand, Nausicaa and Ariel landed in the ocean, surrounded by the clapping and cheering merfolk. They were immediately embraced by Ariel's sisters and Sebastian, trying not to get too emotional.

Yupa looked on happily at the girls. Just two months ago, he was dismissing the very existence of the merfolk. And now he watched as Nausicaa, like a daughter to him, became part-mermaid.

"Heh… seems there's still surprises in store for this old fellow." Yupa chuckled to himself.

More than anything, Ariel wanted to be part of Nausicaa's world. And now, Nausicaa could be part of her world as well. Indeed, their worlds had become one.

_**THE END**_

_**3**_


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